Final answer:
The cotton gin's invention led to a rightward shift in the short run supply curve for cotton by increasing production efficiency and reducing costs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney was a significant technological advancement that impacted the short run supply curve of cotton during the Industrial Revolution. This innovation made it possible to quickly remove seeds from short staple cotton, which beforehand was labor-intensive and less profitable. The increased efficiency in cotton production due to the cotton gin resulted in a shift to the right of the short run supply curve, indicating that a greater quantity of cotton could be supplied at any given price due to the lowered cost of production. Similarly, technological changes like the Green Revolution also demonstrate how improved technology can shift the supply curve to the right.