Composition of the dwell-time distribution of all intervals for the indicated four state model when C₃ has a mean lifetime of 1 s (A), 1 ms (B), and 1 μs (C). The time constants (and areas) of the exponential components are (A) E₃: 3003 ms (33.4%); E₂: 2.00 ms (50.0%); E₁: 0.667 ms (16.6%); (B) E₃: 7.46 ms (62.2%); E₂: 1.00 ms (33.3%); E₁: 0.536 ms (4.47%); (C) E₃: 5.24 ms (72.4%); E₂: 0.764 ms (27.6%); E₁: 0.001 ms (∼0.00%). The observed distribution of all interval durations (black continuous lines) can be expressed as either the sum of E₁ (black dashed lines), E₂ (red dashed lines), and E3 (gray dashed lines) or as the sum of {C₁} (green lines), {C₁C₂} (blue lines), and {C₁C₂C₃} (orange lines). E₃ is comprised of all intervals from {C₁C₂C₃} plus intervals from {C₁C₂} and {C₁} as needed to complete the E₃ exponential. E₂ is comprised of any leftover intervals from {C₁C₂} plus intervals from {C₁} as needed to complete the E₂ exponential, and E₁ is comprised of any leftover intervals from {C₁}.