under the/a pressure of 5.5 MPa

English translation: at a pressure {temperature} of

15:24 Feb 24, 2010

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Science - Science (general)

English term or phrase: under the/a pressure of 5.5 MPa

(A sample was tested) under a/the pressure of 5.5 MPa
(A sample was tested) at a/the temperature of 90 C

Which of the articles would you use here and why? TIA

Nik-On/Off KudoZ activity Questions: 2449 (9 open) (7 without valid answers) (11 closed without grading) Answers: 3896 Ukraine
Local time: 05:57

Selected answer:at a pressure {temperature} of

Explanation:
How I would say this in the USA. Article usage is pretty tough in the USA. My wife speaks a Slavic language as a mother tongue and she rarely gets the use of 'the' right in written communication.

I cannot say why, it is just how it is used here.

Selected response from:

jccantrell
United States
Local time: 19:57

Grading comment

Thank you both!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

4 +10

at a pressure {temperature} of

jccantrell

5 +2

The article 'a' for both because of the accompanying figures

Michael Lyman

Answers

9 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +10

under the/a pressure of 5.5 mpa

at a pressure {temperature} of

jccantrell
United States
Local time: 19:57
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 12

Grading comment

Thank you both!

4 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

under the/a pressure of 5.5 mpa The article 'a' for both because of the accompanying figures

Explanation:
It is actually correct to use 'at the temperature of', but when not accompenied by a figure (as the mere 101,000,000 Google searches amply show, e.g. Elasticity of iron at the temperature of the Earth's inner core - as published in the journal Nature). However, 'at a temperature of' is used when numerals describing the respective temperature are presented (as in your hereinabove example).

Reference: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v413/n6851/abs/413057a0...
Reference: http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=%22at+the+temperatu...

Michael Lyman
United States
Local time: 22:57
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English

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under the/a pressure of 5.5 MPa

English translation: at a pressure {temperature} of

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under the/a pressure of 5.5 MPa

English translation: at a pressure {temperature} of

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