Alcohol Revision Sheet

Alcohol is classified as a depressant due to the effects that it has on the brain
by slowing down messages between the brain and the body causing intoxication.
Intoxication may cause the user to feel happy and upbeat (although it is a depressant!);
it may slow their reflexes and reaction time; it may cause them to have slurred speech
and less coordination; and may cause nausea, induce vomiting or a total loss of
consciousness. Once intoxicated, the user cannot do anything to speed up the process
of becoming “sober”, or not intoxicated.
Intoxication is measured as a percentage of alcohol within the bloodstream,
known as Blood Alcohol Concentration (or BAC). This is measured using either a
Breathalyzer test or a Blood Sample test.
In Australia, alcohol is often measured in standard drinks. 1 standard drink is
equivalent to any type of alcoholic beverage (i.e. beer, wine, spirits) that contains 10g
of alcohol. Different types of alcoholic beverages have different amounts of alcohol (in
standard drinks) them and come in different serving sizes as well. On the alcoholic
beverage label, one should expect to find the name and type of alcoholic beverage,
as well as the percentage of alcohol by volume of the container or glass (2.7%, 3.5%,
5% etc.).
Alcohol mainly is absorbed in the system by the walls of the stomach and the
small intestine and from there it is secreted into the bloodstream. It then leaves the
bloodstream mainly through the liver, with small amounts being removed by breath,
urine and sweat. Because of this, the process of “sobering up” cannot be increased
by drinking water or other non-alcoholic beverages, or by exercising.
Alcohol intoxication effects people in a number of ways. There are many
different factors that may increase or decrease the effect or impact of excessive
alcohol consumption. These may include gender (males generally can consume more
before becoming intoxicated), personal characteristics (i.e. size, age, metabolism
etc.), type and amount of alcohol (i.e. beer, wine, spirits), speed at which one
consumes alcohol and whether or not the user is drinking alcohol with or without food.
NAME________________________ DATE________________________

Year 8 Health Test: Alcohol (Revision)

What type of drug is alcohol? What effects does it have on the user? List 4 examples

How can one sober up after having consumed alcohol?

In what unit of measurement is the level of alcohol intoxication measured? What

device would one use to measure alcohol intoxication?

What is a standard drink? How much alcohol does one standard drink contain?

Alcohol can be harmful for young people still developing physically (circle one)

TRUE FALSE

Alcohol is absorbed in the body through the walls of the _____________ and the

______________ to get into the bloodstream

What information would one expect to find on the label of an alcoholic beverage?
(List 3 examples)
What are some of the effects of alcohol consumption?

There are a number of factors that influence the effect alcohol has on different people.
List a minimum of five (5).

Complete the table by matching the correct alcohol type with the standard drink
measurement. Use the drinks listed below to help you. (5 marks)

Measurement Type of drink

Wine 100ml
Cider 30ml
Light Beer 211ml
Full Strength Beer 453ml
Spirits
225ml

You have been provided a scenario below. For this scenario, identify three choices
you could make and the possible outcomes for each choice.
“You’re at a party and a friend has passed out and some boys decide to take an
embarrassing photo of her and posit it on a social networking site. What will you do?”
→ Think about a) an action/choice (what will you do?) and b) a possible outcome (what you
think might happen?)