Final answer:
Signs of alcohol intoxication appear after consuming two or more alcoholic drinks, and the rate at which the body metabolizes alcohol determines the time until sobriety. A Breathalyzer measures BAC through breath analysis, indicating the level of intoxication.
Step-by-step explanation:
Signs of alcohol intoxication typically begin to appear after consuming two or more alcoholic drinks. A person’s BAC (blood alcohol concentration) legally defines intoxication, with levels greater than 5.4-17.4 mmol/L (0.025-0.080%). This correlates to varying degrees of symptoms, including euphoria at low doses and sedation as doses increase. The immediate effect of alcohol varies for each individual based on factors such as age, sex, and overall health, despite consuming the same amount of alcohol.
Physiologically, the human body metabolizes alcohol at a rate of about 3.3 mmol/L (15 mg/dL) per hour, meaning that it takes approximately five hours for a person to sober up from a legally intoxicated state (BAC of 0.08). Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol can result in severe effects, such as loss of consciousness at about a BAC of 0.30%, and potentially death at approximately 0.50%.
The Breathalyzer is a device used to measure the amount of ethanol in a person’s breath, which is an indicator of their BAC. The Breathalyzer reaction involves the oxidation of ethanol, leading to a color change in the testing solution that signifies the ethanol content.