Final answer:
Alcohol is metabolized by the liver at a rate of one-quarter ounce per hour. This metabolic rate is constant and does not increase with larger amounts of consumed alcohol. The liver requires adequate time to process the alcohol fully to avoid toxicity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alcohol is metabolized by the liver at a rate of one-quarter ounce per hour. The liver metabolizes alcohol using metabolic processes to eliminate the circulating ethanol. The safe and effective elimination of alcohol from our system is achieved by giving the liver enough time to fully metabolize the ingested alcohol. Despite individual variation, a general rate at which alcohol is metabolized is provided in health and medical literature. It is important to note that the rate of alcohol metabolism does not speed up regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed.
The legal limit for alcohol, with respect to driving, is a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08. For a person who is legally intoxicated, sobriety is typically achieved at least five hours after drinking stops due to the constant metabolic rate of the liver.