Final answer:
The adult male body metabolizes alcohol at a rate of approximately 0.015% per hour, and understanding this rate is vital for maintaining safety and adhering to legal limits of intoxication.c) 0.015% per hour
Step-by-step explanation:
The adult male body processes alcohol at a rate of 0.015% per hour. This rate of alcohol metabolism is important because the legal limit for intoxication is a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08%. It is crucial to give the liver enough time to metabolize the ingested alcohol to avoid alcohol toxicity. The liver can metabolize a certain amount of alcohol per hour, irrespective of the quantity consumed, as it is limited by the amount of enzyme available for the metabolism of ethanol.
Since alcohol intoxication can begin after consuming two or more drinks, understanding the rate at which alcohol is broken down by the body is important for safety and legal reasons. Women generally metabolize alcohol slightly more slowly than men, and individual rates can vary. However, a general estimate is that alcohol is broken down at about 3.3 mmol/L (15 mg/dL) per hour, which can be related to percentage as approximately 0.015% per hour, taking into account that alcohol concentration in blood is often measured in terms of percentage.