In economic theory, the distinction between a free good and an economic good is central to understanding the economic problem of scarcity. Which of the following situations describes the consumption of a free good?
A commuter drinks purified tap water from a public water fountain in a city transit station.
An internet user downloads a free open-source operating system that was developed by volunteers.
A resident reads a book at night under a solar-powered street light installed and maintained by local authorities.
A tourist bathes in the open ocean on a wild, unmanaged coastline.
