Final answer:
One and one-half ounces of 86 proof whiskey, which contains approximately 0.645 ounces of pure alcohol, has the same amount of alcohol as 12 ounces of beer with 5% ABV (a standard beer). Hence, the answer is D. 12 ounces of beer.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine which of the options contains the same amount of alcohol as one and one-half ounces of 86 proof whiskey, we need to understand what proof means and how to calculate alcohol content. 'Proof' is a measure of the strength of an alcoholic beverage, with '86 proof' meaning that the whiskey contains 43% alcohol by volume (ABV). Therefore, one and one-half ounces of this whiskey would contain approximately 0.645 ounces of pure alcohol (1.5 x 0.43). Comparatively, a standard drink in the United States is considered to contain about 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol. This amount is typically found in 12 ounces of beer with 5% ABV, which is considered a 'standard' beer. In contrast to this, a 6-pack of beer has far more alcohol than a single drink, a bottle of wine usually holds about 25 ounces with a 12% ABV, hence has several 'standard' drinks worth of alcohol. Finally, 6 ounces of premium beer may have slightly more alcohol than a standard beer, depending on the ABV, but it is not equivalent to six times the amount of alcohol in 12 ounces of beer. Therefore, the answer to the student's question is that one and one-half ounces of 86 proof whiskey contains the same amount of alcohol as D. 12 ounces of beer.