📚 Learning Guide
Understanding Per-Unit Taxes
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How does a per-unit tax on a good affect the market equilibrium and the behavior of producers?

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Choose the Best Answer

A

It increases the quantity supplied at every price, leading to higher equilibrium prices.

B

It raises the marginal cost of production, leading to a decrease in quantity supplied at each price.

C

It has no effect on the market equilibrium since producers absorb the tax.

D

It encourages producers to increase production to cover the tax costs.

Understanding the Answer

Let's break down why this is correct

Answer

A per-unit tax on a good is a fee that the government charges for each unit sold. When this tax is applied, it increases the cost of selling the good for producers. As a result, producers may decide to raise their prices to cover the tax, which can lead to fewer people buying the product. For example, if a tax of $2 is imposed on bottles of soda, producers might increase the price from $1 to $3. This change can lead to a new market equilibrium, where the quantity sold decreases because some consumers may choose not to buy the soda at the higher price.

Detailed Explanation

A per-unit tax raises the cost for producers. Other options are incorrect because This option suggests that producers will supply more, but higher costs actually make them supply less; This option says the tax has no effect, which is not true.

Key Concepts

Per-unit taxes
Market equilibrium
Marginal cost of production
Topic

Understanding Per-Unit Taxes

Difficulty

medium level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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