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triplet state

A second excited state of a molecule (e.g., chlorophyll) produced by absorption of light to produce the singlet state, then loss of some energy (fluorescence) to arrive at the longer-lived triplet state The molecule may remain sufficiently long in the triplet state for a second activating light quantum to be effective in producing a second triplet state, obviously at still a higher level of excitation, hence reactivity. Alternatively, it may lose the triplet state energy directly and return to the ground state.