Answer :
Final answer:
A 5-ounce glass of table wine or a 12-ounce bottle or can of beer, both of which are considered one standard drink, are equal to 1.5 ounces of 86 proof liquor.
Explanation:
The student's question revolves around standard drink sizes and their equivalences in terms of alcohol content. In the United States, a standard drink is defined as any drink that contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol.
This is found in a 5-ounce glass of table wine, which is approximately 12% alcohol by volume, or in a 12-ounce bottle or can of beer, which has about 5% alcohol by volume. The question asks for the equivalent amount in ounces of 86 proof liquor, which is typically around 43% alcohol by volume.
To find this equivalence, we use the concept that one standard drink across different types of alcoholic beverages contains roughly the same amount of ethanol, despite the varying volumes.
Proof is a measure of the alcohol content in a spirit, with each degree of proof being equal to 0.5% alcohol by volume. Therefore, 86 proof liquor is 43% alcohol by volume. Since the alcohol content in the 86 proof liquor is much higher than in wine and beer, the volume needed to match one standard drink is much smaller.
For 86 proof liquor, a standard drink is about 1.5 ounces. Therefore, the answer to the student's question would be that a 12-ounce bottle or can of beer, which is equal to a 5oz glass of table wine, is also equal to 1.5 ounces of 86 proof liquor.
