Chapter 3 Flashcards
All economic systems must address:
What should be produced?
How should it be produced?
For whom will it be produced?
The market for any good or service consists of
All buyers and sellers of that good or service.
The demand curve
A schedule or graph showing the quantity of a good that buyers wish to buy at each
price
As price of a good or service goes down
The quantity that consumers wish to buy will increase.
As the price of a good or service increases
The quantity consumers wish to buy will decrease.
Why do buyers purchase a greater quantity at lower prices and vice-versa?
Substitution effect
Income effect
Buyer’s reservation price
Substitution effect
The change in the quantity demanded of a good that results because buyers switch to substitutes when the price of the good changes
the price of the good changes relative to other prices
Income effect
The change in the quantity demanded of a good that results because of a change in real income of purchasers arising from the price change
all prices change in the same way
Buyer’s reservation price
The largest money amount the buyer would be willing to pay for a unit of a good
If the reservation price (benefit) exceeds the market price (cost)
The consumer will purchase the good
The supply curve
A curve or schedule that tells us the quantity of a good that sellers wish to sell at each price
Seller’s reservation price
The smallest money amount for which a seller would be willing to sell an additional unit (generally equal to marginal cost)
Opportunity costs
Giving up your highest valued alternatives
Market Equilibrium
All buyers (consumers) and sellers (producers) are satisfied with their respective quantities at the prevailing market price at the intersection of demand and supply in the market equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity
Equilibrium price
Is the price at which a good will sell.
Equilibrium quantity
Is where the quantity supplied and quantity demanded are equal. There is no tendency for the system to change.
Excess Supply
The amount by which quantity supplied exceeds quantity demanded when the price of a good exceeds the equilibrium price
Excess Demand
The amount by which quantity demanded exceeds quantity supplied when the price of a good lies below the equilibrium price
Price Ceiling
A maximum allowable price, specified by law
Price Floor
A minimum allowable price, specified by law