exposure / exposition
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exposure
Being exposed to a particular influence, condition, or danger. This can refer to substances, radiation, pathogens, or risks.
Die wiederholte Exposition gegenüber lauten Geräuschen kann das Gehör schädigen.
Repeated exposure to loud noises can damage hearing.
Words that end in '-tion' are almost always feminine in German (they take the article 'die'). They often come from Latin and are used in formal or technical contexts.
Die Konzentration der Chemikalie war zu hoch.
The concentration of the chemical was too high.
'Exposition' (exposure / exposition) is a technical and educated-register word. It is rarely used in normal everyday life. Each meaning is tied to a specific field.
Der Professor sprach in seinem Vortrag über die Exposition gegenüber Risikofaktoren.
In his lecture, the professor spoke about exposure to risk factors.
The many meanings of 'Exposition' (exposure / exposition) can almost always be recognized clearly from the context. Pay attention to signal words like 'Literatur' (literature), 'Fotografie' (photography), 'Medizin' (medicine), 'Musik' (music), or 'Architektur' (architecture) to understand the correct meaning.
Im Fach Fotografie lernen wir, die richtige Exposition zu wählen.
In photography class, we learn to choose the right exposure.
In the medical or safety-related meaning, 'Exposition' (exposure) is almost always used with the preposition 'gegenüber' (to / toward) and the dative. It describes which danger or influence someone is exposed to.
Die Exposition gegenüber Sonnenlicht kann die Haut schädigen.
Exposure to sunlight can damage the skin.
In the context of photography, the most common combinations are 'lange Exposition' (long exposure) and 'kurze Exposition' (short exposure). These describe the duration of the exposure.
Für die Aufnahme der Sterne wählte er eine sehr lange Exposition.
For the shot of the stars, he chose a very long exposure.
In geography and architecture, 'Exposition' (aspect / exposure) is often combined with cardinal directions to describe orientation. Typical examples are 'südliche Exposition' (southern exposure) or 'nördliche Exposition' (northern exposure).
Das Haus hat eine südliche Exposition und ist daher sehr sonnig.
The house has a southern exposure and is therefore very sunny.
exhibition / issuing
'die Ausstellung' and 'die Exposition' can easily be confused because 'Exposition' sounds similar to words meaning 'exhibition' in some languages. In German, however, the difference is clear. 'die Ausstellung' means a public presentation of objects, for example art in a museum. 'die Exposition' is usually a technical term and means different things depending on the field: exposure to an influence, the beginning of a literary work, exposure in photography, the orientation of a surface, or a first section in music. As a word for an art exhibition, 'Exposition' does not sound natural in ordinary German. If you go to a museum, you say 'Ausstellung'.
Im Labor messen wir die Exposition gegenüber chemischen Stoffen sehr genau.
In the lab, we measure exposure to chemical substances very precisely.
Habt ihr die Ausstellung für den Kunstkurs schon besucht?
Have you already visited the exhibition for the art course?