Smart Serve Effects of Alcohol & Standard Drinks — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In Canada, what is considered one 'standard drink'?
- Any size of beer
- 17.05 mL (0.6 oz) of pure alcohol (Correct answer)
- A full pint of beer
- Two glasses of wine
Correct answer: 17.05 mL (0.6 oz) of pure alcohol
One standard drink in Canada contains 17.05 mL (approximately 0.6 oz) of pure alcohol. Examples include a 341 mL bottle of 5% beer, a 142 mL glass of 12% wine, or a 43 mL shot of 40% spirits.
Question 2: Approximately how long does it take a healthy adult liver to process one standard drink?
- 15 minutes
- 30 minutes
- 1 hour (Correct answer)
- 2 hours
Correct answer: 1 hour
The liver metabolises approximately one standard drink per hour. This rate cannot be sped up by coffee, cold showers, or food—only time reduces blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
Question 3: Which factor does NOT affect how quickly alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream?
- Body weight
- Whether food was eaten
- The colour of the alcoholic beverage (Correct answer)
- Gender
Correct answer: The colour of the alcoholic beverage
The colour of a drink has no effect on absorption rate. Body weight, food consumption, gender, and rate of drinking all influence how quickly alcohol enters the bloodstream.
Question 4: At which blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level is it illegal to drive in Ontario?
- 0.04%
- 0.08% (Correct answer)
- 0.10%
- 0.05%
Correct answer: 0.08%
In Ontario, the legal limit for driving is a BAC of 0.08%. Drivers with a BAC between 0.05% and 0.079% face administrative penalties, and novice drivers must maintain a 0.00% BAC.
Question 5: Why does eating food before or while drinking alcohol slow down intoxication?
- Food absorbs the alcohol before it enters the body
- Food slows the rate at which alcohol passes from the stomach into the small intestine (Correct answer)
- Food neutralises the alcohol molecules chemically
- Food increases the rate at which the liver breaks down alcohol
Correct answer: Food slows the rate at which alcohol passes from the stomach into the small intestine
Food, especially high-fat or high-protein foods, slows gastric emptying, meaning alcohol takes longer to reach the small intestine where most absorption occurs, resulting in a slower and lower peak BAC.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes how carbonated mixers affect alcohol absorption?
- They slow absorption by diluting the alcohol
- They have no effect on absorption rate
- They can speed up absorption by increasing gastric emptying (Correct answer)
- They reduce the total amount of alcohol absorbed
Correct answer: They can speed up absorption by increasing gastric emptying
Carbonated mixers (such as soda water or tonic water) can accelerate gastric emptying, pushing alcohol into the small intestine more quickly and potentially speeding up absorption.
Smart Serve Effects of Alcohol & Standard Drinks
In Canada, what is considered one 'standard drink'?