TAM Health Effects & Public Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which organ is primarily responsible for metabolizing alcohol in the human body?
- Kidneys
- Liver (Correct answer)
- Stomach
- Pancreas
Correct answer: Liver
The liver metabolizes approximately 90% of consumed alcohol through enzymatic processes.
Question 2: At what Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level do most people begin to experience loss of muscle control and impaired judgment?
- 0.02%
- 0.05%
- 0.08% (Correct answer)
- 0.15%
Correct answer: 0.08%
At 0.08% BAC, muscle coordination deteriorates and judgment is significantly impaired, which is why it is the legal limit for driving in Maryland.
Question 3: Which of the following is a long-term health consequence of chronic heavy alcohol consumption?
- Improved immune function
- Cirrhosis of the liver (Correct answer)
- Increased bone density
- Enhanced kidney filtration
Correct answer: Cirrhosis of the liver
Chronic heavy drinking causes scarring of liver tissue, known as cirrhosis, which can lead to liver failure.
Question 4: How does alcohol affect the central nervous system (CNS)?
- It acts as a stimulant increasing alertness
- It acts as a depressant slowing brain activity (Correct answer)
- It has no effect on the CNS
- It only affects motor function, not cognition
Correct answer: It acts as a depressant slowing brain activity
Alcohol is a CNS depressant that slows brain function, impairing coordination, judgment, and reaction time.
Question 5: A patron appears to be having difficulty walking and slurs their words. These are signs of which condition?
- Low blood sugar only
- Alcohol intoxication (Correct answer)
- Dehydration
- Allergic reaction
Correct answer: Alcohol intoxication
Slurred speech and difficulty walking are classic physical signs of alcohol intoxication due to CNS depression.
Question 6: Which factor does NOT affect how quickly a person's BAC rises after consuming alcohol?
- Body weight
- Eye color (Correct answer)
- Rate of consumption
- Food in stomach
Correct answer: Eye color
Eye color has no physiological relationship to alcohol absorption or metabolism.
Question 7: What is alcohol poisoning, and why is it a public safety concern?
- A mild hangover that resolves overnight
- A life-threatening condition caused by a toxic level of alcohol in the blood (Correct answer)
- A condition only affecting people with liver disease
- A temporary state of drunkenness with no lasting effects
Correct answer: A life-threatening condition caused by a toxic level of alcohol in the blood
Alcohol poisoning is a medical emergency where BAC reaches toxic levels, potentially causing unconsciousness, respiratory failure, and death.
TAM Health Effects & Public Safety 2
Which organ is primarily responsible for metabolizing alcohol in the human body?