Why does the boat move backward when the sailor jumps in the forward direction?
The boat moves backward when the sailor jumps in the forward direction because of Newton’s third law of motion which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Thus, when the sailor jumps in the forward direction he is causing an action force due to which the boat moves backward. In response, the boat exerts an equal and opposite force (the reaction force) on the sailor due to which he is pushed in the forward direction.
