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    $\begingroup$ Just because one frequency is absorbed does not mean that it is re-emitted. Instead the total energy absorbed by a single (high-energy) photon may be released as multiple (lower-energy) photons. $\endgroup$
    – BowlOfRed
    Commented Feb 19, 2015 at 22:51
  • $\begingroup$ Electronic states may have lifetimes of several seconds in practical experiments. $\endgroup$
    – Adomas Baliuka
    Commented Feb 11, 2017 at 2:09
  • $\begingroup$ In the sun we have many nuclear reactions, abundance of energy with neutrons exciting many atoms ... the atoms emitting many photons of certain wavelengths in all directions. On earth we have very few nuclear reactions .... the photons are absorbed by atoms and molecules ..... most photons are converted to vibrations in the molecules (i.e. temperature increase) and at night these vibrations/molecules emit IR photons back into space. $\endgroup$
    – PhysicsDave
    Commented Jan 27, 2023 at 15:58