Blood Alcohol Concentration
Chapter 34: Nervous System

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the percentage of alcohol in your bloodstream. BAC depends on many factors including body weight, your level of fatigue, whether or not you have eaten, the amount of time it takes to consume each drink, and the alcohol content of the drink. The chart below is based on a person whose body weight is 120 pounds.

Drinks per hour*	BAC (%)	Effects
1	0.02–0.03	Slight feeling of relaxation and mood elevation
2	0.05–0.06	Slight decrease in reaction time; slight loss of coordination
3	0.08–0.09	Slight speech, vision, and balance impairment
4	0.10–0.12	Coordination and balance impairment; some loss of judgment
5	0.13–0.15	Serious impairment of vision, speech, and coordination
7	0.20	Significant mental confusion; inability to walk
10	0.30	Loss of control over body and mind
13	0.40	Loss of consciousness
16	0.50	Coma
19	0.60	Death from respiratory failure

*One drink = 12 oz beer = 4 oz wine = 1 oz liquor

Analyze the Table

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1. Use the information to make a line graph comparing blood alcohol concentration with the number of drinks per hour.
2. How much alcohol is present in the bloodstream of a person who has four drinks in two hours?
3. In most states, a BAC of 0.08–0.09 is considered legally intoxicated. Based on the information given, why do you think driving at this BAC would be dangerous?

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