2.) How will firms' production functions and cost curves change as science and technology advance and as the knowledge of how to organize and manage resources improves.

the aksumite empire was an ancient kingdom located in what is now northern ethiopia from the period of 100 ad to 940 ad. its capital was the city of aksum. the kingdom established itself as one of the 4 great powers at its time, along with persia, rome, and china.

the kingdom was rich in goods like gold, iron, and salt. it established strong commercial ties with the regions governed by rome, egypt, and persia (arabia). aksum was a key location in this commercial network. trade was also facilitated with the introduction of the aksumite currency.

the answer is true!                                          

(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)(b)

the earth’s crust is broken into separate pieces called tectonic plates (fig. 7.14). recall that the crust is the solid, rocky, outer shell of the planet. it is composed of two distinctly different types of material: the less-dense continental crust and the more-dense oceanic crust. both types of crust rest atop solid, upper mantle material. the upper mantle, in turn, floats on a denser layer of lower mantle that is much like thick molten tar.

each tectonic plate is free-floating and can move independently. earthquakes and volcanoes are the direct result of the movement of tectonic plates at fault lines. the term fault is used to describe the boundary between tectonic plates. most of the earthquakes and volcanoes around the pacific ocean basin—a pattern known as the “ring of fire”—are due to the movement of tectonic plates in this region. other observable results of short-term plate movement include the gradual widening of the great rift lakes in eastern africa and the rising of the himalayan mountain range. the motion of plates can be described in four general patterns:

collision: when two continental plates are shoved together

subduction: when one plate plunges beneath another (fig. 7.15)

spreading: when two plates are pushed apart (fig. 7.15)

transform faulting: when two plates slide past each other (fig. 7.15)