Cambridge 9701 · Paper 1 Multiple Choice

AS Chemistry 9701 Paper 1 Past Papers

Cambridge 9701 Paper 1 (Multiple Choice) is 40 marks in 1h 15m, set as 4 timetable variants (11, 12, 13, 14). Quanta has mapped 23 sittings from 2023 to 2025, every question tagged to the syllabus section it tests — so the breakdown below is what Paper 1 has actually asked, summed across 23 papers, rather than a guess from the syllabus.

Every sitting has its own page, listed by series below, with its Cambridge code in both forms (9701/12/F/M/25 and 9701_m25_qp_12).

Updated 22 September 2026

At a glance

Paper
Paper 1 Multiple Choice
Subject
Cambridge AS Level Chemistry 9701
Marks
40
Time
1h 15m
Questions
40, one mark each
Variants
11, 12, 13, 14
Calculator
allowed
Sittings mapped
23 (2023–2025)

What Paper 1 tests

Marks by syllabus section, totalled over all 23 sittings. The order barely moves from year to year, which is the point: it is the paper’s real weighting. Areas linked in blue have a free Quanta guide.

An introduction to AS Level organic chemistry
104 mk · 11%
59 mk · 6%
58 mk · 6%
Group 2
53 mk · 6%
Carboxylic acids and derivatives
50 mk · 5%
Equilibria
49 mk · 5%
Chemical energetics
47 mk · 5%
States of matter
44 mk · 5%
Electrochemistry
44 mk · 5%
Reaction kinetics
43 mk · 5%
The Periodic Table: chemical periodicity
40 mk · 4%
Hydroxy compounds
37 mk · 4%
Group 17
36 mk · 4%
Carbonyl compounds
36 mk · 4%
Hydrocarbons
34 mk · 4%
Halogen compounds
30 mk · 3%
Nitrogen and sulfur
25 mk · 3%
Analytical techniques
19 mk · 2%
Polymerisation
18 mk · 2%
Nitrogen compounds
12 mk · 1%
Organic synthesis
6 mk · 1%

Revision guides for Paper 1

All 9701 Paper 1 sittings

Practise AS Chemistry 9701 Paper 1 against real mark schemes

Quanta has real Cambridge AS Chemistry 9701 past-paper questions, with every answer explained after you commit to it and each question tied to the syllabus topic it tests — and it tracks which skills you’re missing. Free for individual students.

Start practising free

Common questions

What is Cambridge 9701 Paper 1?

Paper 1 of Cambridge AS Level Chemistry 9701 — Multiple Choice. It is 40 marks in 1h 15m, with 40 multiple-choice questions worth one mark each, and it is set as variants 11, 12, 13, 14 for different time zones — same syllabus, same structure, different questions. Quanta has mapped 23 sittings from 2023 to 2025.

How long is 9701 Paper 1?

1h 15m for 40 marks — about 1.9 minutes per mark, which is the pacing to hold.

Is a calculator allowed in 9701 Paper 1?

Yes, on every sitting Quanta has mapped.

Where can I get 9701 Paper 1 past papers?

Cambridge publishes past papers and mark schemes through its own site and through schools; they are © Cambridge University Press & Assessment, so the pages here describe each paper rather than reproduce it. Inside Quanta, every sitting listed above is practised online question by question and marked instantly, with each wrong answer tied back to its syllabus section.