📚 Learning Guide
Negative Externalities and Market Failure
easy

Which of the following is an example of a negative externality?

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Learning Path

Question & Answer
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2
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Choose the Best Answer

A

A factory polluting a river affecting local fish populations

B

A new park increasing nearby property values

C

A company providing free lunches to its employees

D

A school offering scholarships to low-income students

Understanding the Answer

Let's break down why this is correct

Answer

A negative externality is a situation where an action by one party causes harm to others who are not involved in that action. For example, if a factory produces goods but also releases pollution into the air, the nearby residents suffer from poor air quality and health problems, even though they are not part of the factory's business. This pollution is the negative externality because it negatively affects people who are not involved in the factory's production process. The factory may not take this harm into account when deciding how much to produce, leading to a situation where the overall welfare of the community is reduced. Therefore, understanding negative externalities is important to help create laws or regulations that protect people's well-being while allowing businesses to operate.

Detailed Explanation

A factory polluting a river is a negative externality. Other options are incorrect because Some might think that a new park is bad for property values; Providing free lunches seems generous, but it doesn't harm anyone.

Key Concepts

negative externalities
Topic

Negative Externalities and Market Failure

Difficulty

easy level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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