Chapter 2 Vocab Flashcards
Market
Any kind of arrangement where buyers and sellers of a particular good, service, or resource are linked together to carry out an exchange.
Competition
Occurs when there are many buyers and sellers acting independently so that no single entity has the ability to influence the price at which the product is sold in the market.
Demand
Indicates the various quantities of a good that consumers (or a consumer) are willing and able to buy at different possible prices during a particular time period, ceteris paribus
Demand Curve
A curve showing the relationship between the price of a good and the quantity of the good demanded, ceteris paribus.
Law of Demand
A law stating that there is a negative relationship between the price of a good and quantity of the good demanded over a particular time period, ceteris paribus. As the price of a good increases, the quantity of the good demanded falls.
Market Demand
Refers to the sum of all individual consumer demands for a good or service.
Non-Price Determinants of Demand
The variables (other than price) that can influence demand, and that determine the position of a demand curve. A change in any determinant shifts the demand curve.
Normal Good
A good whose demand varies directly with income; this means that as income increases the demand for the good increases.
Inferior Good
A good whose demand varies indirectly with income; this means that as income increases, the quantity demanded of the good falls.
Tastes and Preferences
If preferences and tastes change in favor of a product, demand increases, and the demand curve shifts to the right (and vice versa).
Prices of Substitutes
For any two substitute goods, X and Y, a decrease in the price of X produces a decrease in demand for Y, while an increase in the price of X produces an increase in demand for Y.
Prices of Complements
For any two complementary goods X and Y, a fall in the price of X leads to an increase in demand for Y, while an increase in the price of X leads to a decrease in demand for Y.
Number of Consumers
If there is an increase in the number of consumers demand increases (and vice versa).
Utility
It is a subjective concept; the satisfaction that consumers gain for consuming something.
Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility
As consumption of a good increases, marginal utility, or the extra utility the consumer receives, decreases which each additional unit consumed, therefore consumers will buy more only if the price falls; this underlies the law of demand.
Substitution Effect
Part of an explanation of the law of demand; there is an inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded because as price falls consumers substitute the now less expensive good for other products.
Income Effect
Part of an explanation of the law of demand; as price falls, real income increases causing the consumer to buy more of the good.
Supply
Indicates the various quantities of a good that firms (or a firm) are willing and able to produce and sell at different possible prices during a particular time period, ceteris paribus.
Supply Curve
A curve showing the relationship between the price of a good and the quantity of the good supplied, ceteris paribus.
Law of Supply
There is a direct relationship between the price of a good and the quantity of the good supplied, over a particular time period, ceteris paribus.
Market Supply
The sum of all individual firm supplies of a good or service.
Non-Price Determinants of Supply
The variables (other than price) that can influence supply, and that determines the position of a supply curve; a change in any determinant of supply causes a shift of the supply curve.
Costs of Production
If a factor price rises, production costs increase production becomes less profitable and the firm produces less decreasing supply (and vice versa).
Technology
New, improved technology lowers costs of production, thus making production more profitable, and the firm produces more increasing supply (and vice versa)
Prices of Related Goods: Competitive Supply
In the case of two goods, refers to the production of one or the other by a firm, or when two goods compete with each other for the use of the same resources.
Prices of Related Goods: Joint Supply
Refers to the production of two or more goods that are derived from a single product, so that it is not possible to produce more of one without producing more of the other.
Subsidy
An amount of money paid by the government to firms.
The number of firms (Supply Shift Factor)
An increase in the number of firms producing the good increases supply (and vice versa)
‘Shocks’
Sudden unpredictable events can affect supply such as weather conditions, war, or other catastrophes.