From: Blunderov (squooker@mweb.co.za)
Date: Wed Jan 30 2002 - 07:50:12 MST
[Quote]
This is forwarded from a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Chemical
Engineering Department, citing one of Dr. Schlambaugh's test questions for
his final exam of 1997. Dr. Schlambaugh is known for asking questions on his
finals like: "Why do airplanes fly?"
In May 1997, the final exam question for his course "Momentum, Heat, and
Mass Transfer II" was: "Is Hell exothermic or endothermic? Support your
answer with proof."
Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law or some
variant. One student, however wrote the following:
First, we postulate that if souls exist, they must have some mass. If they
do, then a mole of souls also must have a mass.So, at what rate are souls
moving into hell and at what rate are souls leaving? I think we can safely
assume that once a soul gets to hell, it does not leave. Therefore, no souls
are leaving.
As for souls entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist
in the world today. Some religions say 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 people do not belong to more than one religion, we can
project that all people and all souls go to Hell.
With the birth and death rates what they are, we can expect the number of
souls in hell to increase exponentially.Now, we look at the rate of change
in the volume of Hell. Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature
and pressure in hell to stay the same, the ratio of the mass of the souls
and volume needs to stay constant.
[A1] So, 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.
[A2] Of course, if Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase in
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 Theresa Banyan
during freshman year, that "It'll be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with
you," and taking into account the fact that I still have not succeeded in
having sexual relations with her then [A2] cannot be true. Therefore, Hell
is exothermic.
The student, Tim Graham, got the only A.
[/Quote]
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