Retort

Retort

In a chemistry laboratory, a retort is a glassware device used for distillation or dry distillation of substances. It consists of a spherical vessel with a long downward-pointing neck. The liquid to be distilled is placed in the vessel and heated. The neck acts as a condenser, allowing the evaporated vapors to condense and flow along the neck to a collection vessel placed underneath.

In the chemical industry, a retort is an airtight vessel in which substances are heated for a chemical reaction producing gaseous products to be collected in a collection vessel or for further processing.

History

Retorts were widely used by alchemists, and images of retorts appear in many drawings and sketches of their laboratories. Before the advent of modern condensers, retorts were used by many prominent chemists, such as Jabir ibn Hayyan (Geber), Antoine Lavoisier and Jöns Berzelius.

Role in analytical chemistry

In laboratory use, due to advances in technology, especially the invention of the Liebig condenser, retorts have largely been rendered obsolete. However, some laboratory techniques that involve simple distillation and do not require sophisticated apparatus may use a retort as a substitute for more complex distillation equipment.

ee also

*Alembic


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  • retort n — retort v …   English expressions

  • Retort — Re*tort , n. [See {Retort}, v. t.] 1. The return of, or reply to, an argument, charge, censure, incivility, taunt, or witticism; a quick and witty or severe response. [1913 Webster] This is called the retort courteous. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. [F …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Retort — Re*tort , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Retorted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Retorting}.] [L. retortus, p. p. of retorquere; pref. re re + torquere to turn twist. See {Torsion}, and cf. {Retort}, n., 2.] 1. To bend or curve back; as, a retorted line. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • retort — Ⅰ. retort [1] ► VERB ▪ say something sharp or witty in answer to a remark or accusation. ► NOUN ▪ a sharp or witty reply. ORIGIN Latin retorquere twist back . Ⅱ. retort [2] …   English terms dictionary

  • retort — vb rejoin, reply, *answer, respond retort n rejoinder, answer, reply, response (see under ANSWER vb 1) Analogous words: *retaliation, reprisal, revenge: repartee (see WIT) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • retort — [n] snappy answer antiphon, back answer, back talk, comeback, cooler, counter, crack*, gag*, jape, jest, joke, lip*, parting shot*, quip, rejoinder, repartee, reply, reprisal, respond, response, retaliation, return, revenge, riposte, sally,… …   New thesaurus

  • Retort — Re*tort , v. i. To return an argument or a charge; to make a severe reply. Pope. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Retort — Retort. См. Реторта. (Источник: «Металлы и сплавы. Справочник.» Под редакцией Ю.П. Солнцева; НПО Профессионал , НПО Мир и семья ; Санкт Петербург, 2003 г.) …   Словарь металлургических терминов

  • retort — I verb answer, answer back, come back, counter, countercharge, counterclaim, make a rebuttal, parry, rebut, rejoin, replicate, reply, requite, respond, respondere, return, riposte, say in reply, snap back, surrebut, surrejoin II index answer… …   Law dictionary

  • retort — (v.) 1550s, from L. retortus, pp. of retorquere turn back, from re back (see RE (Cf. re )) + torquere to twist (see THWART (Cf. thwart)). The noun is c.1600, from the verb …   Etymology dictionary

  • retort — retort1 [ri tôrt′] vt. [< L retortus, pp. of retorquere, to twist back < re , back + torquere, to twist: see TORT] 1. to turn (an insult, epithet, deed, etc.) back upon the person from whom it came 2. to answer (an argument, etc.) in kind 3 …   English World dictionary

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