We investigate the behaviour of resonances as a function of the coupling strength between bound and unbound states on the basis of a simple S-matrix model. Resonance energies and widths are calculated for well isolated, overlapping and strongly overlapping resonance states. The formation of shorter and longer time scales (trapping effect) is traced. We illustrate that the cross section results from an interference of all resonance states in spite of the fact that their lifetimes may be very different.

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