Final answer:
When taking off in a jet aircraft or making a tight curve in a car, the sensation of being pushed back or thrown to the side is due to inertia. Newton's first law of motion explains that objects tend to remain at rest or in motion unless acted upon by external forces. Therefore, there is no real force pushing you backward in the seat, but rather the seat pushes you forward.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you take off in a jet aircraft, there is a sensation of being pushed back into the seat. However, according to Newton's first law of motion, an object at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by an external force. In this case, as the jet accelerates down the runway, your body tends to remain stationary due to inertia. The seat of the aircraft applies a force on your body, pushing it forward. This force creates a sensation of being pushed back into the seat.
Similarly, when making a tight curve in a car, your body tends to move in a straight line due to inertia. The car, on the other hand, moves to the right, causing a sensation of being thrown toward the left relative to the car.
Therefore, the correct answer is equal and opposite reaction.