Final answer:
The demand curve represents the relationship between the quantity demanded of a good and its price, as illustrated by a downward-sloping line on a graph. This relationship follows the law of demand, which states that higher prices lead to lower quantity demanded, and vice versa.
Step-by-step explanation:
The demand curve represents the relationship between the quantity demanded of a good and its price. When graphed, the demand curve typically slopes downward from left to right, indicating that as the price of a good increases, the quantity demanded decreases, and conversely, as the price decreases, the quantity demanded increases. This inverse relationship is a central concept in economics and is known as the law of demand.
According to the law of demand, consumers will generally purchase more of a good as its price falls and less of a good as its price rises, ceteris paribus (all else being equal). A demand schedule can be used to create a demand curve by plotting the various prices and corresponding quantity demanded. It's important to note that the demand curve reflects the willingness and ability of consumers to purchase a product at various price points, assuming no other factors are changing.