High School

Which drink contains the most alcohol?

A. 1.5-ounce shot of whiskey
B. 12-ounce bottle of beer
C. 5-ounce glass of wine
D. They all contain the same amount

Answer :

Final answer:

A 1.5-ounce shot of whiskey, a 12-ounce bottle of beverage, and a 5-ounce glass of wine all contain roughly the same amount of alcohol, which is approximately equivalent to one standard drink. They adhere to the average percentages of alcohol by volume commonly found in those beverage types.

Explanation:

The question concerns the alcohol content of different beverages and which contains the most alcohol. It can be broken down into a health and chemistry issue since it involves understanding the ethanol content in standard drinks and its effects on health.

A standard drink in the United States contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol. Here are the approximate amounts of pure alcohol in each type of drink:

  • 1.5-ounce shot of whiskey, typically around 40% alcohol by volume (ABV), equals one standard drink.
  • 12-ounce bottle of beer at around 5% ABV also equals one standard drink.
  • 5-ounce glass of wine, at approximately 12% ABV, also equates to one standard drink.

Therefore, a shot of whiskey, a bottle of beer, and a glass of wine all contain roughly the same amount of alcohol if we are comparing standard sizes and typical alcohol percentages.

When alcohol is consumed, guidelines suggest it should be done in moderation, with up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men, and only by adults of legal drinking age.