Questions: A positive externality (that has not been internalized) causes the a. equilibrium quantity to be either above or below the optimal quantity b. equilibrium quantity to exceed the optimal quantity c. equilibrium quantity to equal the optimal quantity d. optimal quantity to exceed the equilibrium quantity

A positive externality (that has not been internalized) causes the

a. equilibrium quantity to be either above or below the optimal quantity
b. equilibrium quantity to exceed the optimal quantity
c. equilibrium quantity to equal the optimal quantity
d. optimal quantity to exceed the equilibrium quantity
Transcript text: A positive externality (that has not been internalized) causes the $\qquad$ a. equilibrium quantity to be either above or below the optimal quantity b. equilibrium quantity to exceed the optimal quantity c. equilibrium quantity to equal the optimal quantity d. optimal quantity to exceed the equilibrium quantity
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Solution

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The answer is d: optimal quantity to exceed the equilibrium quantity.

Explanation for each option:

a. Equilibrium quantity to be either above or below the optimal quantity: This is incorrect. A positive externality typically results in the equilibrium quantity being below the optimal quantity because the benefits to society are greater than the benefits to the individual consumer or producer, leading to underproduction.

b. Equilibrium quantity to exceed the optimal quantity: This is incorrect. A positive externality causes the equilibrium quantity to be less than the optimal quantity, not more.

c. Equilibrium quantity to equal the optimal quantity: This is incorrect. If a positive externality has not been internalized, the equilibrium quantity will not equal the optimal quantity. The market fails to account for the additional benefits to society, leading to underproduction.

d. Optimal quantity to exceed the equilibrium quantity: This is correct. A positive externality means that the social benefits are greater than the private benefits, leading to a situation where the optimal quantity (considering the external benefits) is greater than the equilibrium quantity determined by the market.

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