2014-09-03
Explanation
The Joke
The comic is titled "Life Tip: Knowing Physics Symbols Makes You Sexy." A man introduces himself as "Bob Q. Finkelblatt." A woman asks, "What's the Q short for?" In the final panel, Bob stares intensely with a red background and replies: "Heat."
The Humor
The joke plays on the physics symbol Q, which in thermodynamics is the standard variable used to represent heat (thermal energy transferred between systems). When the woman asks what the "Q" in his middle name stands for, she expects a normal name like "Quentin" or "Quincy." Instead, Bob interprets it through the lens of physics notation and answers "Heat" -- which is both the physics answer and a suggestive double entendre. The dramatic red background in the final panel underscores the attempted seduction, making the "life tip" in the title panel ironic -- knowing physics symbols does not, in fact, make you sexy; it makes you awkward.
References
In thermodynamics, Q (or q) is the standard symbol for heat, representing energy transferred between a system and its surroundings due to a temperature difference. This convention dates back to early thermodynamic notation.