According to the law of supply in microeconomics, how does the quantity supplied of a product change when its price rises, assuming other conditions remain unchanged?

Introduction / Context:
The law of supply is a basic principle in microeconomics that complements the law of demand. While the law of demand explains how consumers react to price changes, the law of supply explains how producers respond. Together, they help determine market equilibrium price and quantity. This question checks whether you know the standard upward sloping relationship between price and quantity supplied, assuming all other factors remain constant.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- We are examining the relationship between the price of a product and the quantity supplied by producers.
- All other determinants of supply, such as input costs, technology, and number of sellers, are assumed constant (ceteris paribus).
- The market is competitive, so individual firms respond to price signals.
- The question focuses only on the direction of change, not the exact numerical elasticity of supply.

Concept / Approach:
The law of supply states that, other things being equal, there is a direct relationship between the price of a good and the quantity supplied. When the market price rises, producing and selling the good becomes more profitable, so firms are willing to supply more units. When the price falls, profits per unit decline, so firms reduce the quantity supplied or some firms may exit the market. Graphically, this is shown as an upward sloping supply curve in price quantity space. Understanding this basic principle is fundamental for analysing how markets adjust to shocks.

Step by Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the standard wording of the law of supply: higher price leads to higher quantity supplied, lower price leads to lower quantity supplied, with other factors held constant. Step 2: Examine each option and look for the one that expresses a direct, positive relationship between price and quantity supplied. Step 3: Option A clearly states that producers will offer more of the product at higher prices than at lower prices, which matches the law of supply. Step 4: Option B says quantity supplied is the same at all prices, which would imply a vertical supply curve and contradicts the law of supply in normal markets. Step 5: Option C suggests that producers supply less at higher prices, which is the opposite of the law of supply. Step 6: Option D claims there is no relationship between price and quantity supplied, which is inconsistent with basic economic theory and with observed market behaviour.

Verification / Alternative check:
Think of farmers deciding how much wheat to bring to the market. If the price of wheat rises significantly while the cost of seeds, fertilisers, and labour remains the same, the profit per unit will increase. Farmers will try to expand acreage under wheat, use more intensive methods, or bring stored wheat to the market to take advantage of the higher price. If the price falls sharply, the opposite happens, and some farmers may switch to other crops. This real world behaviour illustrates the law of supply and confirms that option A captures the correct relationship.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is wrong because it implies that producers do not respond at all to price changes, which is unrealistic except in rare special cases like capacity constraints at a particular output level.
Option C is wrong because it describes an inverse relationship between price and quantity supplied, which goes against the standard law of supply for a normal good.
Option D is wrong because it denies any connection between price and quantity supplied, which is contrary to both theory and practical observation in markets.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the law of demand with the law of supply and mistakenly believe that higher prices always reduce quantities, whether on the demand side or the supply side. Another pitfall is forgetting the ceteris paribus condition and thinking about simultaneous changes in technology or input costs. Keeping the roles of buyers and sellers separate and remembering that suppliers are motivated by profit helps avoid these errors and leads to a correct understanding of the law of supply.

Final Answer:
Producers will offer more of the product for sale at higher prices than at lower prices, other things being equal.