How can a graph of weight vs Normal Force give the coefficient of friction?
Consider a horizontal plane upon which you have placed a weight ‘W’ (measured in Newtons say). If you connect a weightless string to the weight and pull horizontally. Measure the force (measured in Newtons say)required to move the weight. If you divide that horizontal force by the weight ‘W’ you will get a number which represents ‘The Coefficient of Friction’. F = (mu)*W where mu = Coefficient of Friction Now if you do this exercise for several different weights which require correspondingly different horizontal forces to move them and record the results and plot them on a graph showing ‘Weights’ along the ‘x-axis’ and ‘Horizontal Force’ along the ‘y-axis’ you can draw a line through the points thus plotted as a ‘best fit’ so to speak. The slope of that line represents in effect the best experimental value that you can obtain for the Coefficient of Friction (mu). mu = F/W Furthermore notice that the Coefficient of Friction is a dimensionless number. Furthermore you will realize that th
