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Rules As Written (RAW) notes that, "A material component consists of one or more physical substances or objects that are annihilated by the spell energies in the casting process." The text for Trap the Soul specifies that, "The gem holds the trapped entity indefinitely or until the gem is broken and the life force is released."

Does this mean that, unlike other spells, the material component for Trap the Soul is not annihilated in the casting process?

RAW notes that, "Items that have taken damage in excess of half their total hit points gain the broken condition, meaning they are less effective at their designated task. The broken condition has the following effects, depending upon the item..." Trap the Soul specifies the release condition for a soul is that the gem must be "broken."

Does this mean that a gem used as a material component for a Trap the Soul spell can potentially be repaired and reused after it has been broken?

The scenario is that two acid fog spells are effecting a target. One interpretation of the rules is that only the strongest acid fog deals acid damage because;

Same Effect More than Once in Different Strengths
In cases when two or more identical spells are operating in the same area or on the same target, but at different strengths, only the best one applies.

The counter argument is that;

1. The clause is under a section about stacking magical effects like bonuses or penalties, and should not be interpreted as also effecting damage

2. Two acid fog spells effecting the same target, that are also the same strength, should both damage the target because the clause does not apply (Same effect and different strength for the rule vs. same effect and same strength for scenario).

- It makes no sense, however, that a 7d6 acid fog and 7d6 acid fog deal 14d6 while a 10d6 acid fog and a 4d6 acid fog deals 10d6. On the other hand, it also makes no sense that a 10d6 acid fog and a 4d6 acid fog do not deal 14d6 damage.

3. If energy substitution were applied to one of the acid fogs, changing its energy type to fire, then both should deal damage because it is no longer the same effect. This demonstrates that the amount of damage dice is unchanged, and supports the logical argument that if you have a bunch of acid in a cloud, and then create an effect that adds more acid, that additional acid would also cause damage.

The Rebuttal to those three points is that;

An invalid rules placement concern. The larger section, of which the rules fall under, clearly applies to all magic. There is no indication (especially given rules that did not contain elemental substitution as a concern when they were written) that there is any conflict here. Two or more spells operating in the area that are otherwise the same, only the strongest ONE applies. You get to pick which strongest ONE means in the event there are more than one contender for the role.