Analyzing Galileo's distance-time relationship for rolling motion on an inclined plane

The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether the rolling motion of spherical objects on an inclined plane is consistent with a constant-acceleration model and whether displacement is proportional to the square of time elapsed. Using a setup and procedure similar to Galileo’s Renaissance-era motion on an inclined plane experiment, a ping pong ball and a baseball were rolled down a fixed inclined plane five times each, and their motion was measured using high-frame-rate video analysis. Position–time data were extracted, analyzed, and plotted to evaluate the relationship between displacement and time. Both objects exhibited displacement proportional to the square of time (t2), indicating motion consistent with constant acceleration. These results support the application of constant-acceleration kinematics to rolling motion on an incline and are consistent with Galileo’s conclusion that motion on an incline is uniformly accelerated.