Quantifying the linkage between the time constants of the exponential components and the lifetimes of the states as a function of the t_C2/t_C1 ratio for the three indicated kinetic schemes that encompass a 10⁶-fold change in the various transition probabilities away from state C₁. Linkage, Lτ, was calculated with Eq. 11, for the same kinetic schemes as presented in Fig. 6. The paradoxical switch between components and states becomes steeper as the transition probability ratio P_C1-C2/P_C1-O1 becomes less, i.e., as the area of {C₁C₂} decreases compared with the area of {C₁}.