So how would we determine the relative stability of graphite and diamond at room temperature and pressure? For that we compute the standard Gibbs energy of reaction (at STP), this requires we use some values from a table: ΔG0f(diamond)=2.90(kJ/mol)
Δ
G
f
0
(
d
i
a
m
o
n
d
)
=
2.90
(
k
J
/
m
o
l
)
and ΔG0f(graphite)=0(kJ/mol)
Δ
G
f
0
(
g
r
a
p
h
i
t
e
)
=
0
(
k
J
/
m
o
l
)
.
The reaction we want to calculate is: C(diamond)→C(graphite)
C
(
d
i
a
m
o
n
d
)
→
C
(
g
r
a
p
h
i
t
e
)
Now we know that ΔGrxn=ΣproductsΔGf−ΣreactantsΔGf=0−2.90=−2.90(kJ/mol)
Δ
G
r
x
n
=
Σ
p
r
o
d
u
c
t
s
Δ
G
f
−
Σ
r
e
a
c
t
a
n
t
s
Δ
G
f
=
0
−
2.90
=
−
2.90
(
k
J
/
m
o
l
)
. So ΔGrxn