Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of common resources?

Common resources are defined by specific characteristics that impact how they are consumed and managed. The correct answer highlights a property that fundamentally separates common resources from other types of goods.

Rivalry in consumption and nonexcludability are indeed characteristics of common resources. When a good is rival in consumption, it means that one person's use of the resource diminishes the ability of another person to use it. Examples include fisheries or forests, where overuse can lead to depletion. Nonexcludability means that it is not feasible to prevent individuals from using the resource, which is typical for common resources that are available to the public without restrictions.

The concept of being available for public use also supports the idea that these resources are not owned by any one individual or entity, allowing free access to all, though this can lead to the "tragedy of the commons" when individuals consume beyond sustainable limits.

In contrast, being excludable by market forces suggests that a good can be restricted from certain users, typically through pricing or access control. This characteristic aligns more with private goods or club goods rather than common resources, which, by their nature, cannot effectively exclude users without significant governmental or institutional intervention. Thus, identifying that common resources do not exhibit excludability by