📚 Learning Guide
Price Ceilings and Market Outcomes
hard

If a government imposes a price ceiling on a product that is below the market equilibrium price, what is the most likely outcome in the market for that product?

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Choose the Best Answer

A

A surplus of the product will occur as suppliers increase production.

B

A shortage of the product will develop as demand exceeds supply.

C

The product will remain in equilibrium as the price adjusts.

D

Consumers will stop purchasing the product entirely.

Understanding the Answer

Let's break down why this is correct

Answer

When a government sets a price ceiling on a product, it means they are limiting how high the price can go, making it lower than what would normally be the market equilibrium price. This usually leads to a situation where the quantity demanded by consumers is greater than the quantity supplied by producers. For example, if the price of rent is capped below the market rate, more people will want to rent apartments, but landlords may not want to rent them out at that lower price, leading to a shortage. As a result, there may not be enough apartments available for everyone who wants one, causing some people to be unable to find housing. Overall, a price ceiling can create problems in the market by disrupting the balance between supply and demand.

Detailed Explanation

When the price is set too low, more people want to buy the product than what is available. Other options are incorrect because Some might think that lowering the price will make suppliers produce more; It's a common mistake to think that prices will always adjust to keep things balanced.

Key Concepts

Price Ceilings
Market Equilibrium
Supply and Demand
Topic

Price Ceilings and Market Outcomes

Difficulty

hard level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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