The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1911-02-24
HEAT AND COLD
ROLL Stone BALL
Ohio Monument Puzzle to Sci.
entiStS Of America.
THINK THEY HAVE SOLUTION.

Granite Sphere Thirty-six Inches In
Diameter and 1920 Pounds In Weight
Shifts Rough Spot Which Rested on
Pedestal In Irregular Manner-Ge-
oloaists Find Suns Rays Responsible.
II the last few years tie attention
Of scientists and of the RSblic In gen
eral has been attracted to a remarka
BILE phenomenon discovered in connec-
ton with the monument to the mem
DRY Of c. b. Merchant, in the Marion
cemetery, at Marion, o. The monu-
ment consists OF stone base rough
In finish, upon which is mounted pol
ished granite ball The ball Is thirty
six inches in diameter and weighs
1900 pounds.
When the ball was placed In posi-
ton in 1896 the monument builder left
but one spot Of 1t rough, This was
the segment OF contact with the stone
pedestal, or that part Of the ball which
rested on the supporting stone. So
thoroughly was the rest Of the ball pol
ished that its surface Is like a mirror.
1t reflects perfectly the trees and
shrubbery which surround 1t.
In 1900, four years after the monu-
ment was erected, a visitor to the
cemetery discovered that the granite
sphere had shifted It's position. In
vestigation proved that the rough spot
was no longer In contact with the ped
estal. Repeated efforts on the part Of
cemetery employees failed to return
the ball to its former position.
Those who attempted the task re-
allied that the ball had not been turn
ed by human hands. At first its move
ment was ascribed to the motion of
earth.
Scientists Study Problem.
Men Of science from the Ohio uni
versities made special trips to Marion
to study the problem. As the story
of the ball was spread scientific men
from universities farther away went
to study the ball.
When the first professor of physics
the ball was about one-half way up
toward it's top as 1t rested on the ped
estal He took photograph Of the
ball in that position, the rough spot
designating that the ball was moving
in the vertical circle.
The next scientist who took a pic
ture Of The ball showed it In different
position The ball had turned in part
in the vertical circle and then had re-
volved In the horizontal This led to
further controversy until many men of
science met to study the unique prob
lem.
Many theories were advanced as to
the cause Of the movement of the ball.
Finally many biologists of note and
recognized authority evolved theory
which is generally accepted as true.
That IS:
The constant moving of the ball
that is acceded-is due to the unequal
expansion of different parts Of the
spheres surface. AS a sphere its sur
face is presented to the four winds OF
heaven, and the portion Of 1t to the
rays Of the sun would become more
highly heated than the part of the sur
face exposed to the north and its cold
winds. Also the surface of the whole
would be more apt to become more
heated during the day than would the
base upon which 1t rests, as the latter
is larger and heavier than the ball IT.
self
Heat Causes Creeping.
Now, If one part Of the ball expands
a minute quantity more than the 9TH
er with each heating OF one side and
contracts in the same ratio on cooling
there would tend to result slight
creeping movement which in time
would move the ball sufficiently to let
the change in its position be noted by
the naked eye, Naturally the expan-
sion Of one side Of the ball would
make that side heavier than the chill
ed side, and the heated side would
work its way toward the bottom
The case Is considered one Of the
most remarkable on record and has
furnished science with a new idea CON
corning the expansion and contraction
OF solids The conclusions OF Ameri-
can scientists who exgsnined the ball
~ere submitted to scientiSs of Eu-
rope All agree that the action OF
heat md cold OF the four seasons
causes the bail to change its petition a