When someone takes a drink of alcohol, it takes about 90 seconds for the drug to reach the brain and other organs.

The major organ that clears alcohol from the body is the liver. Soon after a person begins drinking alcohol, the liver “gets behind” in processing the alcohol. When that happens, the concentration of alcohol in the blood grows. This means that the amount of alcohol in the body grows compared to the amount of blood in the body. Scientists and the police determine how drunk a person is by measuring their blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

Once the level of alcohol in a person’s body begins to grow – even a little – it begins to affect the person. Alcohol is a depressant, which means that it slows the brain and body. As blood alcohol concentration grows, the drinker gets weaker and weaker. Roll over the dots to see how a drinker loses abilities bit by bit: