How does the price elasticity of demand affect the burden of a tax imposed on a good, particularly in terms of the consumer's share of the tax burden?

The price elasticity of demand measures how much the quantity demanded of a good changes when its price changes. If demand is elastic, consumers are very responsive to price changes, meaning they will buy much less if prices go up. In contrast, if demand is inelastic, consumers will continue to buy similar amounts even if prices increase. When a tax is imposed on a good, the burden of that tax is shared between consumers and producers. For example, if a tax is placed on cigarettes, which have inelastic demand, consumers will bear a larger share of the tax burden because they are less likely to reduce their purchases significantly despite the higher price.