"Across" or "Along"

[Jack8rkin]

Hello!

I'm having a hard time understanding the use of "across" in expressions like those below:

1. "air temperature is uniform across the height and width of any cabinet"...
2. "When the lens is moved across the height"...

It appears that the temperature is uniform along the line representing the height of the cabinet and also along the line representing the width of the cabinet.
In the second case the lens is not crossing the heigh, as I guess, it actually goes along the line.

So, why "across the height"?
Is it something commonly accepted?
Or maybe my understanding of it is wrong?
Please, clarify my doubts.

Thanks

[J&K Tutoring]

1. "air temperature is uniform across the height and width of any cabinet"...
2. "When the lens is moved across the height"...

Probably these phrases just did not translate well but, if we look not at the individual words, but think of the overall meaning, then we can figure things out.

1. A cabinet with air temperature associated with it is going to be something like a refrigerator (or oven), and a desireable trait in a refrigerator is uniform temperature in all parts of the interior. From that understanding, we can conclude that the writer means that temperature is the same from top to bottom and from side to side.

2. I take this one to mean that the camera pans from one side to another at the top of this thing.

[Jack8rkin]

1. "air temperature is uniform across the height and width of any cabinet"...
2. "When the lens is moved across the height"...

Probably these phrases just did not translate well but, if we look not at the individual words, but think of the overall meaning, then we can figure things out.

1. A cabinet with air temperature associated with it is going to be something like a refrigerator (or oven), and a desireable trait in a refrigerator is uniform temperature in all parts of the interior. From that understanding, we can conclude that the writer means that temperature is the same from top to bottom and from side to side.

2. I take this one to mean that the camera pans from one side to another at the top of this thing.

Ok. It's no problem guessing about the meaning in these sentences.
What if "along" is used in them. Will it change the meaning dramatically?

But still, I would like to get a better understanding of this.
I have cases with this kind of expressions here and there when translating.
And I have a hard time choosing the right word: across or along.
For example, will it be ok to say:

1. The sensors are installed across the height of the shaft. (on the line that represents the height of the shaft).
2. The distribtuion of tempeature across the core height is shown in the diagram. (with the meaning that the tempreature is distributed in the core unevenly, with the coldest temperatue at the bottom; and hottest temperature at the top).
????

Thanks

[Jack8rkin]

Up!
Could anyone help with this?

[Tdol]

1. The sensors are installed across the height of the shaft. (on the line that represents the height of the shaft).
2. The distribtuion of tempeature across the core height is shown in the diagram. (with the meaning that the tempreature is distributed in the core unevenly, with the coldest temperatue at the bottom; and hottest temperature at the top).

I think these would be clearer if simplified:

1 The sensors are installed all along the shaft.
2 The diagram shows temperature variations in the core.

With a shaft, along means end-to-end and across means side-to-side for me.

[Jack8rkin]

I think these would be clearer if simplified:

1 The sensors are installed all along the shaft.
2 The diagram shows temperature variations in the core.

With a shaft, along means end-to-end and across means side-to-side for me.

Thanks a lot!
I wish I could simplify it like that, but I'm not an author, I'm just an interpreter.
As for the core the variations could be vertical and horizontal. We cannot simplify it like this.


Well, I'm just trying to keep as close as possible to the original text. It does not always work, because sense should be translated, gotten across to the other side, rather than words.

Thanks again, I'm beginning to grasp the idea!

[Jack8rkin]

2. I take this one to mean that the camera pans from one side to another at the top of this thing.

Just encountered an example and it occurred to me that you may be wrong.
What if the camera pans from bottom to top of this thing because the line representing the height is vertical?

[5jj]

Just encountered an example and it occurred to me that you may be wrong.

On the evidence you presented, J&K Tutoring made a reasonable assumption. The words "I take this one to mean ..." made it clear that it was only an assumption.

[Jack8rkin]

On the evidence you presented, J&K Tutoring made a reasonable assumption. The words "I take this one to mean ..." made it clear that it was only an assumption.

I'm not trying to catch J&K Tutoring on a lie. I'm trying to understand how this term works. So, if possible, clarify my doubts.
Whether or not it is possible to assume that J&K Tutoring was just one of interpretations of the statement above.
Could it be that my understanding is also correct?

Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas

[5jj]

The use of 'across' for a vertical movement seems very unlikely to me.