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HOW IT WORKS |
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The person in question breathes into the device. The air from your lungs in then transported to one of the vials. There it is mixed with sulfuric acid, potassium dichromate, silver nitrate and water. The chemical reaction that occurs within the Breathalyzer to give you an accurate reading looks like the diagram below (taken from how stuff works website). |
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1. First the Sulfuric Acid takes the alcohol from the air and transforms it into a liquid solution.
2. Meanwhile the Potassium Dichromate and the Alcohol react to produce: Chromium Sulfrate, Potassium Sulfrate, Acetic Acid, and Water. The Potassium Dichromate (a reddish-orange ion) when reacted with alcohol turns to a greenish color (green chromium ion). The color of the reaction corresponds to the degree of alcohol in a persons system. This all occurs within one vial. The other vial contains a mixture of the unreacted chemicals to use for comparing.
3. While this occurs within the vials, you are able to read and identify the outcome by either a digital reading or a needle which moves to show how much alcohol is in your system. |
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The invention of the Breathalyzer has greatly influenced our world. It has allowed us to be able to clearly identify intoxicants and has pinpointed drunk driving to make our world a safer place. |
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Return to Breathalyzers |
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