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Enron Mail |
< < < < < < The following is an actual question given on University of < < < < < < Washington chemistry mid-term. The answer by one student was so < < < < < < "profound" that the professor shared it with colleagues via the < < < < < < Internet, which is of course, why we now have the pleasure of < < < < < < enjoying it as well. < < < < < < < < < < < < Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic < < < < < < (absorbs heat)? < < < < < < < < < < < < Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's < < < < < < Law, (gas cools off when it expands and heats up when it is < < < < < < compressed) or some variant. < < < < < < < < < < < < One student, however, wrote the following: < < < < < < < < < < < < First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. < <So < < < < < < we need to know the rate that souls are moving into Hell and the < < < < < < rate they are leaving. < < < < < < < < < < < < I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, < <it < < < < < < will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many < < < < < < souls are entering Hell, lets look at the different religions that < < < < < < exist in the world today. Some of these religions state that if < <you < < < < < < are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. < < < < < < < < < < < < Since there are more than one of these religions and since people < <do < < < < < < not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all < <souls < < < < < < go to Hell. < < < < < < < < < < < < With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number < <of < < < < < < souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate < <of < < < < < < change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in < < < < < < order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, < <the < < < < < < volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added. < < < < < < < < < < < < This gives two possibilities: < < < < < < < < < < < < 1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which < < < < < < souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will < < < < < < increase until all Hell breaks loose. < < < < < < < < < < < < 2. Of course, if Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the < < < < < < increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will < < < < < < drop until Hell freezes over. < < < < < < < < < < < < So which is it? < < < < < < < < < < < < If we accept the postulate given to me by Ms. Teresa Banyan during < < < < < < my Freshman year that "...it will be a cold day in Hell before I < < < < < < give you my number" and take into account the fact that I still < <have < < < < < < not succeeded in aquiring her number, then 2 cannot be true, and < < < < < < thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and will not freeze. < < < < < < < < < < < < The student received the only "A". < < < < < < < < < < < < < <
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