A general theory of single-pulse state-defining experiments for a multi-zone TAP (temporal analysis of products) reactor, is developed using the Laplace transform formalism: the theory gives explicit expressions for the moments of the outlet flux, series expansions for the transient values of this flux, and offers an efficient means to compute the actual profiles of gas concentration in the reactor and the values of the outlet flux numerically, using e.g. Fast Fourier Transform. The central concept of the theory is the global transfer matrix equation, which determines completely the dynamic behavior of the reactor. Using efficient computer algebra methods. the theory generates previous theoretical results reported in the literature for all the known TAP-reactor configurations, and yields new results related to the reversible adsorption/reaction-diffusion case and the thin-zone case. It can be used for further theoretical studies in the area of diffusion/reaction dynamics.