9701/11/O/N/23 · 9701_w23_qp_11
AS Chemistry 9701 Paper 1 Multiple Choice — October/November 2023
9701/11/O/N/23 is component 11 of Cambridge International AS Level Chemistry from the October/November 2023 series — Multiple Choice: 40 marks over 1h 15m, across 40 multiple-choice questions, with a calculator allowed. Past-paper sites list it as 9701_w23_qp_11.
Quanta has mapped this paper question by question against its official mark scheme. Below is where its marks actually sit across the syllabus — the fastest way to see what to revise before attempting it.
Updated 22 September 2026
At a glance
| Cambridge code | 9701/11/O/N/23 |
|---|---|
| Filename | 9701_w23_qp_11 |
| Syllabus | 9701 — Chemistry (AS Level) |
| Component | 11 (Paper 1 Multiple Choice) |
| Series | October/November 2023 |
| Calculator | Allowed |
| Duration | 1h 15m |
| Total marks | 40 |
| Questions | 40, one mark each |
What this paper needed for each grade
After marking October/November 2023, Cambridge set the thresholds for this paper as follows — the raw mark out of 40 required for each grade. A grade A took 28 marks, which is 70% of the paper.
| Grade | Raw mark needed | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| A | 28 / 40 | 70% |
| B | 23 / 40 | 57.5% |
| C | 19 / 40 | 47.5% |
| D | 15 / 40 | 37.5% |
| E | 12 / 40 | 30% |
Grade A* is deliberately absent: Cambridge does not set one for an individual component. A* is awarded on the overall syllabus threshold across the papers you were entered for — for this paper that is 11 + 21 + 31 + 41 + 51, or 11 + 21 + 31, or 11 + 21 + 31. Every 9701 series, with the syllabus thresholds →
Figures re-keyed from Cambridge’s published threshold table for this series.
The question paper and mark scheme
Cambridge publishes the question paper and mark scheme for 9701/11/O/N/23 (9701_w23_qp_11) itself — through your school and through Cambridge’s own site. They are © Cambridge University Press & Assessment, so Quanta does not host them, and this page describes the paper rather than reproducing it.
What Quanta does instead is the part the PDF leaves to you: sit this paper online and have it marked, instantly, with each answer explained and tied back to the syllabus topic it tests. Free, and no download to print.
Where the marks are
Every question of this paper is tagged to the syllabus section it tests, so the marks can be totalled by syllabus area. Sections linked in blue have a free Quanta revision guide.
The heaviest area is An introduction to AS Level organic chemistry at 5 of the 40 marks (13%). If you are revising specifically for this paper, that is where the time pays back most.
Revision guides for this paper
Free guides covering the areas this paper leans on:
Practising this paper
Cambridge publishes past papers and mark schemes through its own site and through schools — this page describes the paper rather than reproducing it. Inside Quanta you can sit this paper question by question, with every answer explained after you commit to it and each question tied to the syllabus section it tests — so you find out which section cost you marks, not just what your total was.
Practise 9701/11/O/N/23 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 freeOther Paper 1 sittings
Component 11 from other series — same structure, same style, useful once you have used this one up:
Common questions
What does 9701/11/O/N/23 mean?
It is Cambridge’s reference for one specific paper: 9701 is the syllabus, 11 the component (Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 1), and the rest is the series — October/November 2023.
What is 9701_w23_qp_11?
The same paper in the filename convention past-paper sites use: 9701 syllabus, w23 for the series (m = February/March, s = May/June, w = October/November, then the year), qp for the question paper (the mark scheme is ms, the examiner report er), and 11 the component.
Is a calculator allowed in Paper 1?
Yes — a scientific calculator is allowed on this paper. Note that answers taken straight from a calculator with no working still lose the method marks.
How long is this paper?
1h 15m for 40 marks — roughly 113 seconds per mark. Practising at that pace matters as much as knowing the content.