A man who weighs approximately 140 pounds has two 12-ounce beers and one 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor in one hour. What is his estimated BAC?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Estimated BAC:
A 140-pound man who consumes two 12-ounce beers and one 1.5-ounce shot of liquor in one hour will have an estimated Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of approximately 0.06%.
Explanation
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is a measure of the amount of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream. A BAC of 0.06% means there are 0.06 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. Many factors affect BAC, including body weight, gender, the amount of alcohol consumed, the time over which it’s consumed, and whether food was eaten.
Step-by-step Breakdown:
- Amount of Alcohol Consumed:
- Each 12 oz beer (~5% alcohol): ~14 grams of pure alcohol.
- 2 beers × 14g = 28g
- One 1.5 oz shot of liquor (~40% alcohol): ~14 grams.
- 1 shot = 14g
- Each 12 oz beer (~5% alcohol): ~14 grams of pure alcohol.
- Using the Widmark Formula: BAC=A×5.14W×r−0.015×H\text{BAC} = \frac{A \times 5.14}{W \times r} – 0.015 \times H Where:
- AA = total alcohol (oz) ≈ 3 oz
- WW = body weight in pounds = 140
- rr = alcohol distribution ratio = 0.73 (for men)
- HH = hours since drinking began = 1
Interpretation:
A BAC of 0.06% can cause mild impairment, including lowered inhibitions, slight euphoria, and decreased reaction time. While under the legal limit for driving in many places (typically 0.08%), it can still affect coordination and judgment. Effects vary between individuals, but even at 0.06%, driving may be unsafe.
For safety, it’s recommended to wait or arrange alternate transportation after consuming this amount of alcohol.
