Energy Storage and Redistribution in Molecules

We characterize an isolated molecule by its compos~t~on, i.e. the number and types of atoms forming the molecule, its structure, i.e. the geometrical arrangement of the composite atoms with respect to each other, and its possible, i.e. quantum mechanically allowed, stationary energy states. Conceptually we separate the latter, being aware that this is an approximation, into electronic, vibrational and rotational states, including fine and hyperfine structure splittings. To be sure, there is...