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Module 1: Gender Matters

Description of the module

This module illustrates why females have higher blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) compared to males when they drink the same amount of alcohol. The reasons incorporate several basic concepts in biology, chemistry and math. These concepts covered in the module include:

  1. structure of organic molecules (i.e., alcohols)
  2. structural properties of biological membranes
  3. transport of a chemical (alcohol) across a biological membrane
  4. body mass and composition (fat and water percentages)
  5. oxidation reactions (metabolism of alcohol)
  6. enzymes as catalysts of biological reactions (e.g., alcohol dehydrogenase or ADH)
  7. gene mutations (different forms of the same enzyme)