Past exam of the chemistry course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2022 / Paper 1 / 4 / b

For red-to-yellow conversion, subtract the red values from the yellow values:HenceThe positive value makes the red form the lower-Gibbs free energy form at 298 K within the supplied bulk-phase model. The calculation uses 298 K as the conventional reference temperature; the paper supplies no separate numerical temperature for this subpart. Keeping enthalpy and entropy in the same energy units is essential.

At coexistence of the two pure solid forms, their chemical potentials are equal and ${\Delta }_r{G}^{\circ }=0$. Treating the tabulated enthalpy and entropy differences as constant givesAbove this temperature the model favours the higher-entropy yellow form; below it the red form is favoured. This is a prediction from the given thermodynamic data, not a guarantee of an immediately visible colour change: kinetic trapping, particle-size effects and temperature-dependent heat capacities are not included. A ratio of masses of two coexisting pure solids is not the equilibrium constant, since their bulk solid activities are each unity.