When you drink alcohol, the amount of alcohol in your blood goes up. This is called your blood-alcohol level.
When the amount of alcohol in the blood reaches 0.02 - 0.03%, you may feel a relaxing high. when that percentage reaches 0.05 - 0.10%, you have reduced muscular coordination, a longer reaction time and impaired judgement. A person with an alcohol level of 0.08% and above is considered legally intoxicated in most states. Some states have lower levels than others.
Breath analyzers do not measure blood alcohol content or concentration, they measure the amount of alcohol in one's breath.
Absorption of alcohol continues for anywhere from 20 minutes (on an empty stomach) to two and one half hours (on a full stomach) after the last consumption. Peak absorption generally occurs within an hour. During initial absorption, the distribution of alcohol throughout the body is not uniform. Uniformity of distribution, called equilibrium, occurs just as absorption competes. Calculating a general absorption rate of 0.02/drink and a general elimination rate of 0.015/hour. One drink is equal to 1.5 ounces of liquor, 12 ounces of beer, or 5 ounces of wine.
Breath alcohol is a representation of the equilibrium of alcohol concentration as the blood gases pass from the arterial blood into the lungs to be expired in the breath.
