Alcohol

Essay by joe shirleyHigh School, 11th gradeF, April 1996

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ALCOHOL

        Alcohol is a widely used substance for both science and in technology. Its name

comes from an Arabic word al-kuhl meaning ' a powder for painting the eyes'. The term

was later applied to all compounds that contain alcoholic spirits.

        To most people alcohol is considerd a downer that reduces activity in the nervous

system. Some of the things alcohol effects you is, the alcohol intoxicated person exhibits

lose muscle tone, loss of fine moter coordination,and often has a staggering 'drunken'

gait. The eyes may appear somewhat 'glossy' and pupils may be slow to respond to

stimulus. At high doses pupils may become constricted. At intoxing doses, alcohol can

decrease heart rate, lower blood pressure and respiration rate, and result in decreased

reflex and slower reaction times. Skin may be cool to touch but to the user may feel

warm or normal, profuse sweating may accompany alcohol use. Loose muscle tone, lose

of fine motor coordination,odor of alcohol on the breath,and a stagging 'drunken'gait.

        The effects of alcohol intoxication are greatly influenced by individual variations

among users. Some users may become intoxicated at a much lower Blood Alcohol

Concentration (BAC) level that I am about to show you. Along with drinking their are

different levels to it:

0.02-0.03 BAC: No loss of coorination,slight euphoria and loss of shyness. Depressant

effects are not apparent.

0.04-0.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, sensation of warmth.

Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory, lowering of caution.

0.07-0.09 BAC: Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing.

Judgement and self-control are reduced, and caution, reason and memory are impaired.

0.10-1.125 BAC: Signficant impairment of moter coordination and loss of good

judgement. Speech may be slurred; balance, vision,reaction time and hearing will be

impaired. (It is illegal to operate a motor...