Scarcity only occurs when a resource is completely depleted and no longer available for use.

Scarcity in economics means that there are not enough resources to meet all our wants and needs, but it does not mean that a resource has to be completely gone. Instead, scarcity can happen even when a resource is still available but limited in quantity. For example, if there is only a small amount of fresh water in a region, people may struggle to get enough for drinking, farming, and other uses, even though some water is still there. This situation forces people to make choices about how to use the limited water they have, showing that scarcity is about the balance between supply and demand. Therefore, scarcity is a constant part of life that affects how we make decisions and allocate resources.