Final answer:
You should not feel thrown to either side in an ideally banked curve as the centripetal and normal forces are balanced; the force from the car seat towards the center is the centripetal force, not a linear force.
Step-by-step explanation:
When negotiating a curve that is ideally banked for a car's speed, you should not feel yourself being thrown to either side. This is because the net external force is exactly providing the necessary centripetal force to keep you in circular motion without any sideways force being felt. This condition implies that when the car seat exerts a force on you, it is directed towards the center of the curve, effectively being the centripetal force required for circular motion. Thus, you would not feel thrown towards either the outside or inside of the curve.
Therefore, the correct answer is 'c) No, no force is exerted; Linear force'. However, this is a bit of a trick question because the linear force is in fact the centripetal force, which is present. It is just balanced in such a way that you do not 'feel' it pushing you to any side.
If we consider the forces acting on the vehicle and consequently on you as a passenger, the only two external forces acting on the car are its weight and the normal force of the road. On an ideally banked turn, these forces combine to provide the centripetal acceleration necessary for turning without the need for friction. The net force is then horizontal and points towards the center of the curve, which aligns with the centripetal force's direction.