excited state

excited state definition - medical

ex·cit·ed state (ĭk-sīˈtĭd)

noun
The condition of an atom or molecule after absorbing energy from exposure to light, electricity, elevated temperature, or chemical reaction, and which may be a necessary prelude to a chemical reaction or to the emission of light.

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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