In the context of externality graphs, what do social costs represent?

In economics, social costs represent the total costs that society pays for an activity, which includes both the private costs incurred by individuals or businesses and any additional costs that affect others who are not directly involved in the activity. For example, if a factory produces goods but also pollutes the air, the factory's private cost is the money spent on production, while the social cost includes the health problems and environmental damage caused by the pollution. This means that social costs help us understand the full impact of an economic activity on society. When we look at externality graphs, social costs are often represented by a curve that shows how these costs increase as production or consumption rises. By considering social costs, we can make better decisions to reduce negative impacts and promote overall well-being in the community.