Do You Know Anything About the Alcohol You Drink? Take the Quiz

Research done for the AAAS Science Inside Alcohol Project queried over 100 middle school students on what they know and don't know about the science of alcohol. They were asked several questions that many parents cannot answer either. It was quite an eye opener.

1. What is a hangover? 62% of students knew that it was caused by drinking. 30% couldn't say what caused a hangover. The rest didn't answer.

2. What is the alcohol that people drink made from? Almost 50% of students had no idea what alcohol comes from. Six percent thought it came from a plant and 12% said came from yeast, barley, hops or grapes or a combination of those. The grapes part is right.

3. Why does alcohol make people drunk? 29% of students did not know the answer and the rest guessed and came up with some semblance of a correct answer. The close to right answers included:

• Alcohol slows down the central nervous system.
•  Many chemicals are in alcohol that the body cannot handle. 
• Alcohol affects your blood and causes your brain to not function clearly.

4. What are the main body systems affected by alcohol? 30% of students couldn't answer the question, 10% mentioned at least one body system that is affected by alcohol and the rest named organs or didn't answer.

For the correct answer and to learn more about the science of alcohol check out our book at:
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/alcohol/ebook/index.htm