Name __________________________________ Class_________________ Date ___________
Unit 5, Chp. 15 Alcohol
Lesson 2, Alcohol’s Effects on the Body (pp. 380–385)
Objectives: Summarize the effects of intoxication on the body systems.
• List four factors that affect blood alcohol concentration. Identify three ways that intoxication may lead to death.
Intoxication is the state in which a person’s mental and physical abilities are impaired by alcohol or
another substance. Many negative effects on a drinker’s body and behavior accompany intoxication by
alcohol.
Intoxication affects many of the body’s systems, including the nervous system, the cardiovascular
system, the digestive system, and the excretory system. The effects of intoxication on the nervous system
can lead to loss of judgment and self-control, and blackouts. A blackout is a period of time that a drinker
cannot recall. Blackouts can happen to first-time drinkers as well as to experienced drinkers.
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the amount of alcohol in a person’s blood, expressed as a
percentage. For example, a BAC of 0.1 means that one-tenth of 1 percent of the fluid in the blood is
alcohol. The higher a person’s BAC, the more severe the physical and behavioral effects of alcohol. The
rate of alcohol consumption, the gender and size of the drinker, and how much food is in the stomach
all affect BAC.
Once a person stops drinking, BAC begins to decrease. Hangover is a term used to describe the
aftereffects of drinking too much alcohol. Symptoms of a hangover include nausea, upset stomach,
headache, and sensitivity to noise.
Intoxication increases the risk of death from motor vehicle crashes, alcohol overdose, and
interactions of alcohol with other drugs. Driving can be impaired by any amount of drinking, even if it
falls below legal limits. Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is a charge given to a driver over the age of 21
caught driving with a BAC that exceeds the legal limit of 0.08. For minors, it is illegal to drive after
consuming any amount of alcohol.
Taking an excessive amount of a drug that leads to coma or death is called an overdose. Binge
drinking—the consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol at one sitting—can result in an overdose even
in a first-time drinker. Finally, mixing alcohol with other drugs can be deadly. Taking alcohol and another
depressant, such as sleeping pills, at the same time can slow breathing and heart rates. In extreme cases,
combining alcohol and other depressants leads to coma or death.
SHORT ANSWER…
What does a cold shower, eating bread and drinking coffee do for someone who
is intoxicated?
What should be done if a teen begins vomiting from drinking or drug use?
Why?
What keeps teens from doing the right thing when someone may be in danger
due to drinking? How does this make you feel in regards to a family member
who may be in danger, or if you were in a situation where you needed help?
Name __________________________________ Class_________________ Date ___________
Note Taking Guide
Name __________________________________ Class _________________ Date ___________
Section 15-2
Note Taking Guide
Alcohol’s Effects on the Body (pp. 380–385)
Physical and Behavioral Effects
1. Complete the concept map about the effects of intoxication on body systems and
behavior.
Name __________________________________ Class _________________ Date ___________
Section 15-2: Note Taking Guide (continued)
Blood Alcohol Concentration
2. Complete the table about the factors that affect a drinker’s blood alcohol concentration.
Factor
Rate of
Consumption
Why It Affects BAC
a. ______________________________________
______________________________________
Gender
b. ______________________________________
______________________________________
Body Size
c. ______________________________________
______________________________________
Amount of food
in the stomach
d. ______________________________________
______________________________________
Life-Threatening Effects
3. Complete the graphic organizer about the life-threatening effects of intoxication.