Chapter 1 Section 3 Quiz (Production Possibilities Curves)

The production possibilities frontier is the line on a production possibilities curve that shows the maximum possible combinations of two types of goods that can be produced using all available resources. It represents the limits of production given the current resources and technology. The term "opportunity cost line" is not commonly used to describe this concept.

The law of increasing costs states that as production shifts from one item to another, more and more resources are necessary to increase production of the second item. This means that as a company increases production of a different item, it becomes increasingly difficult and costly to allocate the necessary resources for that production. This can be due to factors such as limited availability of resources or diminishing returns in productivity. As a result, the cost of production for the second item rises.

Increasing the number of laborers in an economy generally causes an increase in the production possibilities curve. This is because more laborers can contribute to the production process, allowing for the production of more goods and services. With more laborers, the economy can produce at a higher level of output, shifting the production possibilities curve outward. This means that the economy can produce more of both goods and services, leading to an increase in the production possibilities curve.

An economy that is underutilized is one that is not using all of its available resources to achieve the highest level of production. This means that there are unused or idle resources, such as labor, capital, or technology, that could be employed to increase output. This lack of utilization indicates a potential for improvement in the economy's efficiency and productivity.

A production possibilities curve shows the relationship between the production of any two categories of goods. This means that it represents the different combinations of goods that can be produced given the available resources and technology. The curve illustrates the trade-offs that occur when resources are limited and must be allocated between the production of different goods. It shows the maximum possible production of one good given the production level of the other good, highlighting the opportunity cost of producing more of one good at the expense of the other.

The curve usually seen in a production possibilities frontier can be explained by the law of increasing costs. This law states that as an economy produces more of one good, the opportunity cost of producing an additional unit of that good increases. This is because resources are not equally suited to produce all goods, so as more resources are allocated to one good, the resources best suited for producing the other good are being used less efficiently. As a result, the production possibilities curve is concave, representing the trade-offs and increasing opportunity costs faced by the economy.