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Electrons gain energy by interacting with the electromagnetic spectrum, such as through light. A photon will make contact with an electron and deliver a transfer of energy which can move it to a higher energy state (this is usually referred to as exciting an electron). Electrons move between their energy states in fixed steps. So, if one is in the lowest energy state (ground state) and is then excited by a photon, it will instantly move to the next highest energy state until it transfers this energy to something else or out of the system (if you are assuming an open system). In a closed system, the energy would be conserved and without any additional interaction, an excited electron will remain excited until it can transfer the energy to something else.

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