A 60.0 kg man jumps from a height of 3.00 m onto a platform that compresses 0.500 cm. What is the maximum spring constant of the platform?

Step 1: Identify the given values and convert units.

• Mass of the man ($m$) = $60.0 \text{ kg}$
• Initial height ($h$) = $3.00 \text{ m}$
• Compression distance ($d$) = $0.500 \text{ cm}$
• Acceleration due to gravity ($g$) = $9.81 \text{ m/s}^2$ (standard value)

Convert the compression distance from centimeters to meters:

$$d = 0.500 \text{ cm} \times \frac{1 \text{ m}}{100 \text{ cm}} = 0.00500 \text{ m}$$

Step