<sod>An '''alembic''' is an [[alchemy|alchemical]] [[still]] consisting of two vessels connected by a tube, used for distilling chemicals. The complete distilling apparatus consists of three parts: the "[[cucurbit]]" (ḳarʿa), the "head" or "cap" (anbiḳ) and the "receiver" (ḳābila). Modern retorts have the "cap" and the "cucurbit" made into one. The anbik is also called the raʾs (head) of the cucurbit. The liquid in the cucurbit is heated or boiled; the vapour rises into the anbik, where it cools by contact with the walls and condenses, running down the spout into a receiver. A modern descendant of the alembic is the [[pot still]], used to produce [[distilled beverages|distilled alcoholic beverages]].<eod>
<sod>An '''alembic''' is an [[alchemy|alchemical]] [[still]] consisting of two vessels connected by a tube, used for distilling chemicals. The complete distilling apparatus consists of four parts: the "[[cucurbit]]" (Arabic ḳarʿa, Greek βίκος), the "head" or "cap" (Arabic anbiḳ, Greek ἄμβιξ), the "pipe" (Greek σωλήν), and the "receiver" (Arabic ḳābila, Greek ἄγγος or φιάλη). Modern [[retort]]s have the "cap" and the "cucurbit" made into one. The anbik is also called the raʾs (head) of the cucurbit. The liquid in the cucurbit is heated or boiled; the vapour rises into the anbik, where it cools by contact with the walls and condenses, running down the spout into a receiver. A modern descendant of the alembic is the [[pot still]], used to produce [[distilled beverages|distilled alcoholic beverages]].<eod>