6 ms·

If I add water to a glass of whiskey and dilute it, why don't I get twice as drunk?

• qsera 3mo ago
  But you can drink a lot more that way and get way more drunk!
  • OutOfHere 3mo ago
    Assuming the original dilution is adequate, further dilution will slow the consumption, making one less drunk.
    • qsera 3mo ago
      Try drinking a pint dry, and try drinking it diluted with water. And let me know what was easy...
• OutOfHere 3mo ago
  Because the amount of total intoxicant is the same. Let: A = amount of ethanol V = initial whiskey volume W = added water Initial concentration: c₁ = A / V After dilution: c₂ = A / (V + W) If you drink the entire diluted glass: ethanol consumed = c₂(V + W) = A Intoxication ∝ ethanol consumed Therefore: drunkenness ∝ A not ∝ (V + W) Adding water changes concentration, not the total ethanol: A = constant ⇒ drunkenness = constant (ignoring effects of drinking rate).