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Calculation of the blood alcohol concentration
According to a formula provided by the Swedish chemist Erik Widmark
Calculate amount of pure alcohol.
E.g.: 1.5 litres beer containing 5% alcohol
1.500 ml x 0.05 % = 75 ml pure alcohol
Convert millilitres to grams using the specific weight of -alcohol which is 0.81 (water is 1).
75 ml pure alcohol x 0.81 = 60.75 g pure alcohol
This value now has to be divided by the reduced body wight of the drinker.
The reduced body weight of a woman is her actual body weight -multiplied by 0.6.
The reduced body weight of a man is his actual body weight -multiplied by 0.7.
Let’s assume the drinker is female. Her reduced body weight is:
65 kg actual body weight x 0.6 = 39 kg reduced body weight
Now the calculated amount of pure alcohol has to be divided by the reduced body weight. The result is the per mL level.
60.75 g pure alcohol / 39 kg = 1.56 per mL
Decomposition of alcohol
Per hour, around 0.1 per mill of the blood alcohol will be decomposed. In our case that means it would take the lady around 15 hours to be completely sober again! Keep in mind: The actual decomposition process and its duration strongly differs from human to human, this formula is everything but 100% reliable.
Did you now that
á There is no scientific explanation for the saying ‘Beer after wine and you’ll feel fine; wine after beer and you’ll feel queer’
á The expression ‘toast’ is based on the ancient Roman ritual to drop a piece of roasted bread into wine
á A mixed drink containing carbonated beverage is absorbed into the body more quickly than straight shots
á The pressure in a bottle of champagne is about three times the pressure in automobile tyres
á Drinking lowers rather than raises the body temperature. There is an illusion of increased heat because alcohol causes the capillaries to dilate and fill with more warm blood.
á One of the few short sentences in the English language to include every letter of the English alphabet is: ‘Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs.’
Myth: Movement accelerates the decomposition of blood alcohol
Intense movement, like dancing, will not accelerate the decomposition of alcohol and the amount of alcohol transpired by sweating is only marginal. In fact, 95% of the decomposition of blood alcohol is done by the liver and this organ is not very fast: Per hour, the blood alcohol level decreases by 0,1 to 0,2 per mL. It is true, that alcohol is transpired with the sweat but only a maximum of 5% – which is not relevant for an acute intoxication. Still, intense movement gets the circulation going, which has a positive subjective effect. This also goes for a strong coffee or a cold shower, which are often held to be a ‘downer’ for an alcohol intoxication.
