The birth-death diagrams can then be used to identify a qualitative difference in the way the networks form at different available areas per molecule. In Figure (a) and Figure , only small rings with short lifespans are formed over the time-span 0 µs to 40.0 µs. Snapshots of the networks at 40.0 µs are shown in Figure ), just before the critical formation point. We can see that in the high area network there are many loose molecules which will soon assemble into rings.