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Cambridge International AS and A Level Chemistry syllabus (9701)

Cambridge International AS and A Level Chemistry (9701) is five papers. For the AS you sit Paper 1 (multiple choice), Paper 2 (structured questions) and Paper 3 (a practical exam), all on topics 1 to 22. The full A Level adds Paper 4, structured questions on topics 23 to 37 that assume the AS content, and Paper 5, on planning, analysis and evaluation.

Below is every numbered subsection of the syllabus in Cambridge’s order, with the lessons that teach it and any missing detail named in its row. Papers 3 and 5 test skills rather than syllabus content, so they have a section of their own at the end of this page.

Checked against Cambridge International Chemistry 9701, 2025 to 2027 syllabus, version 1 (September 2022) on 31 October 2026. The table links each syllabus heading to the InkChemistry lessons that teach it and names any partial or missing coverage. Use the awarding body’s current syllabus as the definitive source.

1 Atomic structure

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
1.1	Particles in the atom and atomic radius	Protons, neutrons, electrons and isotopes, Periodicity: trends across Period 3 and the blocks of the table, Ionic bonding and ionic lattices	Covered
1.2	Isotopes	Protons, neutrons, electrons and isotopes	Covered
1.3	Electrons, energy levels and atomic orbitals	Electron configuration: shells, subshells and orbitals, Free-radical substitution	Covered
1.4	Ionisation energy	Ionisation energies and the evidence for subshells	Covered

2 Atoms, molecules and stoichiometry

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
2.1	Relative masses of atoms and molecules	The mole, the Avogadro constant and molar mass, Protons, neutrons, electrons and isotopes, Time-of-flight mass spectrometry and relative atomic mass	Covered
2.2	The mole and the Avogadro constant	The mole, the Avogadro constant and molar mass	Covered
2.3	Formulas	Formulae, equations and state symbols, Empirical and molecular formulae, The mole, the Avogadro constant and molar mass	Covered
2.4	Reacting masses and volumes (of solutions and gases)	Reacting masses, percentage yield and atom economy, Gases and the ideal gas equation, Concentration, volumetric solutions and titration calculations	Covered

3 Chemical bonding

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
3.1	Electronegativity and bonding	Electronegativity, polarity and intermolecular forces	Covered
3.2	Ionic bonding	Ionic bonding and ionic lattices	Covered
3.3	Metallic bonding	Covalent, dative covalent and metallic bonding	Covered
3.4	Covalent bonding and coordinate (dative covalent) bonding	Covalent, dative covalent and metallic bonding, Alkenes: structure, electrophilic addition and Markovnikov's rule, Mean bond enthalpies, Naming and representing organic molecules, Shapes of molecules and ions	Covered
3.5	Shapes of molecules	Shapes of molecules and ions	Covered
3.6	Intermolecular forces, electronegativity and bond properties	Electronegativity, polarity and intermolecular forces	Covered
3.7	Dot-and-cross diagrams	Ionic bonding and ionic lattices, Covalent, dative covalent and metallic bonding	Covered

4 States of matter

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
4.1	The gaseous state: ideal and real gases and pV = nRT	Gases and the ideal gas equation	Covered
4.2	Bonding and structure	The four crystal structures and their properties, Ionic bonding and ionic lattices	Covered

5 Chemical energetics

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
5.1	Enthalpy change, ΔH	Enthalpy change, standard conditions and the definitions, Measuring an enthalpy change: calorimetry, Mean bond enthalpies	Covered
5.2	Hess's law	Hess's law and enthalpy cycles, Mean bond enthalpies	Covered

6 Electrochemistry

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
6.1	Redox processes: electron transfer and changes in oxidation number (oxidation state)	Oxidation states and the rules for assigning them, Half-equations and building redox equations	Covered

7 Equilibria

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
7.1	Chemical equilibria: reversible reactions, dynamic equilibrium	Dynamic equilibrium, Le Chatelier's principle and industrial compromise, The equilibrium constant Kc, Kp: equilibria in the gas phase	Covered
7.2	Brønsted–Lowry theory of acids and bases	Brønsted–Lowry acids and bases, pH and strong acids, Titration curves and choosing an indicator, Formulae, equations and state symbols	Covered

8 Reaction kinetics

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
8.1	Rate of reaction	Collision theory, activation energy and the rate of reaction, Measuring the rate of a reaction	Covered
8.2	Effect of temperature on reaction rates and the concept of activation energy	Collision theory, activation energy and the rate of reaction, The Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution, temperature and catalysts	Covered
8.3	Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts	The Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution, temperature and catalysts	Covered

9 The Periodic Table: chemical periodicity

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
9.1	Periodicity of physical properties of the elements in Period 3	Periodicity: trends across Period 3 and the blocks of the table	Covered
9.2	Periodicity of chemical properties of the elements in Period 3	The Period 3 elements: reactions with oxygen and water, The Period 3 oxides: structure, bonding and acid–base character, Reactions of aqua ions with hydroxide, ammonia and carbonate, Metal-aqua ions and the acidity of their solutions	Covered
9.3	Chemical periodicity of other elements	Periodicity: trends across Period 3 and the blocks of the table, Group 7: trends down the group and displacement reactions, Group 2: trends down the group and reactions with water	Covered

10 Group 2

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
10.1	Similarities and trends in the properties of the Group 2 metals, magnesium to barium, and their compounds	Group 2: trends down the group and reactions with water, Group 2 compounds: solubility, uses and the sulfate test, Formulae, equations and state symbols	Covered

11 Group 17

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
11.1	Physical properties of the Group 17 elements	Group 7: trends down the group and displacement reactions	Covered
11.2	The chemical properties of the halogen elements and the hydrogen halides	Group 7: trends down the group and displacement reactions	Covered
11.3	Some reactions of the halide ions	Halide ions, the silver nitrate test, concentrated sulfuric acid, and chlorine in water	Covered
11.4	The reactions of chlorine	Halide ions, the silver nitrate test, concentrated sulfuric acid, and chlorine in water, Half-equations and building redox equations	Covered

12 Nitrogen and sulfur

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
12.1	Nitrogen and sulfur	Covalent, dative covalent and metallic bonding, Mean bond enthalpies, Alkanes: fractional distillation, cracking and combustion, Amines: preparation, basicity and nucleophilic reactions, Group 2 compounds: solubility, uses and the sulfate test, The Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution, temperature and catalysts	Covered

13 An introduction to AS Level organic chemistry

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
13.1	Formulas, functional groups and the naming of organic compounds	Naming and representing organic molecules	Covered
13.2	Characteristic organic reactions	Reaction types, curly arrows and how a mechanism is written	Covered
13.3	Shapes of organic molecules; σ and π bonds	Naming and representing organic molecules, Alkenes: structure, electrophilic addition and Markovnikov's rule, Shapes of molecules and ions, Covalent, dative covalent and metallic bonding	Covered
13.4	Isomerism: structural isomerism and stereoisomerism	Structural isomerism and E/Z isomerism, Optical isomerism	Covered

14 Hydrocarbons

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
14.1	Alkanes	Alkanes: fractional distillation, cracking and combustion, Free-radical substitution, Alkenes: structure, electrophilic addition and Markovnikov's rule	Covered
14.2	Alkenes	Alkenes: structure, electrophilic addition and Markovnikov's rule, Elimination from halogenoalkanes, and CFCs and the ozone layer, Oxidation and elimination of alcohols, Addition polymers, Alkanes: fractional distillation, cracking and combustion	Covered

15 Halogen compounds

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
15.1	Halogenoalkanes	Halogenoalkanes: nucleophilic substitution and rates of hydrolysis, Elimination from halogenoalkanes, and CFCs and the ozone layer, Free-radical substitution, Alkenes: structure, electrophilic addition and Markovnikov's rule, The Arrhenius equation and the rate-determining step, Oxidation and elimination of alcohols	Covered

16 Hydroxy compounds

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
16.1	Alcohols	Alcohols: hydration, fermentation and classification, Oxidation and elimination of alcohols, Aldehydes and ketones: nucleophilic addition and the tests that tell them apart, Carboxylic acids, esters and biodiesel, Measuring an enthalpy change: calorimetry, Alkenes: structure, electrophilic addition and Markovnikov's rule, Halogenoalkanes: nucleophilic substitution and rates of hydrolysis	Covered

17 Carbonyl compounds

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
17.1	Aldehydes and ketones	Aldehydes and ketones: nucleophilic addition and the tests that tell them apart, Oxidation and elimination of alcohols, Test-tube reactions for functional groups, and high-resolution mass spectrometry	Covered

18 Carboxylic acids and derivatives

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
18.1	Carboxylic acids	Carboxylic acids, esters and biodiesel, Oxidation and elimination of alcohols, Planning a synthetic route	Covered
18.2	Esters	Carboxylic acids, esters and biodiesel	Covered

19 Nitrogen compounds

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
19.1	Primary amines	Amines: preparation, basicity and nucleophilic reactions, Halogenoalkanes: nucleophilic substitution and rates of hydrolysis	Covered
19.2	Nitriles and hydroxynitriles	Halogenoalkanes: nucleophilic substitution and rates of hydrolysis, Aldehydes and ketones: nucleophilic addition and the tests that tell them apart, Planning a synthetic route, Carboxylic acids, esters and biodiesel	Covered

20 Polymerisation

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
20.1	Addition polymerisation	Addition polymers	Covered

21 Organic synthesis

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
21.1	Organic synthesis	Planning a synthetic route	Covered

22 Analytical techniques

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
22.1	Infrared spectroscopy	Infrared spectroscopy	Covered
22.2	Mass spectrometry	Time-of-flight mass spectrometry and relative atomic mass, Test-tube reactions for functional groups, and high-resolution mass spectrometry	Covered

23 Chemical energetics (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
23.1	Lattice energy and Born-Haber cycles	Lattice enthalpy and Born–Haber cycles	Covered
23.2	Enthalpies of solution and hydration	Enthalpies of solution and hydration	Covered
23.3	Entropy change, ΔS	Entropy and Gibbs free-energy change	Covered
23.4	Gibbs free energy change, ΔG	Entropy and Gibbs free-energy change	Covered

24 Electrochemistry (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
24.1	Electrolysis	Commercial cells, rechargeable cells and fuel cells	Covered
24.2	Standard electrode potentials E°, standard cell potentials E°cell and the Nernst equation	Electrode potentials and the standard hydrogen electrode, The electrochemical series and predicting feasibility, Half-equations and building redox equations	Covered

25 Equilibria (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
25.1	Acids and bases	Brønsted–Lowry acids and bases, pH and strong acids, Weak acids, Ka and pKa; Kw and strong bases, Buffer solutions and buffer calculations, Titration curves and choosing an indicator	Covered
25.2	Partition coefficients	The equilibrium constant Kc	Covered

26 Reaction kinetics (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
26.1	Simple rate equations, orders of reaction and rate constants	Rate equations, orders of reaction and the rate constant, Finding orders from initial rates, half-lives and graphs, The Arrhenius equation and the rate-determining step	Covered
26.2	Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts	Catalysis: heterogeneous, homogeneous and autocatalytic, The Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution, temperature and catalysts	Covered

27 Group 2 (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
27.1	Similarities and trends in the properties of the Group 2 metals, magnesium to barium, and their compounds	Enthalpies of solution and hydration, Lattice enthalpy and Born–Haber cycles, Group 2 compounds: solubility, uses and the sulfate test	Covered

28 Chemistry of transition elements (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
28.1	General physical and chemical properties of the first row of transition elements, titanium to copper	Transition metal characteristics and complex formation, Variable oxidation states: vanadium, chromium and manganate(VII) titrations, Catalysis: heterogeneous, homogeneous and autocatalytic, Colour in transition metal complexes and colorimetry	Covered
28.2	General characteristic chemical properties of the first set of transition elements, titanium to copper	Transition metal characteristics and complex formation, Ligands, the shapes of complexes, isomerism and ligand substitution, Reactions of aqua ions with hydroxide, ammonia and carbonate, Variable oxidation states: vanadium, chromium and manganate(VII) titrations, Redox titrations: manganate(VII) and thiosulfate	Covered
28.3	Colour of complexes	Colour in transition metal complexes and colorimetry	Covered
28.4	Stereoisomerism in transition element complexes	Ligands, the shapes of complexes, isomerism and ligand substitution	Covered
28.5	Stability constants, Kstab	Ligands, the shapes of complexes, isomerism and ligand substitution	Covered

29 An introduction to A Level organic chemistry (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
29.1	Formulas, functional groups and the naming of organic compounds	Naming and representing organic molecules, Benzene: its structure and the evidence for delocalisation	Covered
29.2	Characteristic organic reactions	Electrophilic substitution: nitration and Friedel–Crafts acylation, Acylation: acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides	Covered
29.3	Shapes of aromatic organic molecules; σ and π bonds	Benzene: its structure and the evidence for delocalisation	Covered
29.4	Isomerism: optical	Optical isomerism, Aldehydes and ketones: nucleophilic addition and the tests that tell them apart	Covered

30 Hydrocarbons (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
30.1	Arenes	Benzene: its structure and the evidence for delocalisation, Electrophilic substitution: nitration and Friedel–Crafts acylation	Covered

31 Halogen compounds (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
31.1	Halogen compounds	Benzene: its structure and the evidence for delocalisation, Electrophilic substitution: nitration and Friedel–Crafts acylation, Acylation: acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides	Covered

32 Hydroxy compounds (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
32.1	Alcohols	Acylation: acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides	Covered
32.2	Phenol	Benzene: its structure and the evidence for delocalisation, Electrophilic substitution: nitration and Friedel–Crafts acylation, Amines: preparation, basicity and nucleophilic reactions, Carboxylic acids, esters and biodiesel, Acylation: acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides	Covered

33 Carboxylic acids and derivatives (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
33.1	Carboxylic acids	Redox titrations: manganate(VII) and thiosulfate, Carboxylic acids, esters and biodiesel, Acylation: acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides, Electrophilic substitution: nitration and Friedel–Crafts acylation, Benzene: its structure and the evidence for delocalisation	Covered
33.2	Esters	Acylation: acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides, Benzene: its structure and the evidence for delocalisation	Covered
33.3	Acyl chlorides	Acylation: acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides, Benzene: its structure and the evidence for delocalisation	Covered

34 Nitrogen compounds (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
34.1	Primary and secondary amines	Amines: preparation, basicity and nucleophilic reactions, Acylation: acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides	Covered
34.2	Phenylamine and azo compounds	Amines: preparation, basicity and nucleophilic reactions, Electrophilic substitution: nitration and Friedel–Crafts acylation	Covered
34.3	Amides	Acylation: acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides, Amines: preparation, basicity and nucleophilic reactions	Covered
34.4	Amino acids	Amino acids, proteins, enzymes and DNA	Covered

35 Polymerisation (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
35.1	Condensation polymerisation	Condensation polymers and the disposal of polymers, Amino acids, proteins, enzymes and DNA	Covered
35.2	Predicting the type of polymerisation	Condensation polymers and the disposal of polymers, Addition polymers	Covered
35.3	Degradable polymers	Addition polymers, Condensation polymers and the disposal of polymers	Covered

36 Organic synthesis (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
36.1	Organic synthesis	Planning a synthetic route	Covered

37 Analytical techniques (A-level only)

Ref	Syllabus heading	Taught in	Coverage
37.1	Thin-layer chromatography	Chromatography: TLC, column and gas	Covered
37.2	Gas / liquid chromatography	Chromatography: TLC, column and gas	Covered
37.3	Carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy	Proton and carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy	Covered
37.4	Proton (1H) NMR spectroscopy	Proton and carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy, Putting the analysis together: structure from spectra	Covered

Practical skills: Papers 3 and 5

Cambridge examines practical work in two papers of its own, not through a numbered list of practicals. Paper 3, Advanced Practical Skills (2 hours, 40 marks) is a practical exam you sit at the bench, and is part of the AS. Paper 5, Planning, Analysis and Evaluation (1 hour 15 minutes, 30 marks) is a written paper on planning, analysis and evaluation, sat for the full A Level only.

Section 5 of the syllabus sets out what the two papers test, under these headings:

Syllabus heading	Printed pages
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills: expectations for each skill	pages 58 to 62
Practical procedures: quantitative and qualitative analysis	pages 63 to 64
Apparatus and materials	pages 64 to 68
Qualitative analysis notes	pages 69 to 70
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation	from page 71

These lessons teach the skills both papers test:

The methods themselves, from titration to thin-layer chromatography, are on the practicals page, each with a guide that works it in full. They follow AQA’s required practicals, and many of the same techniques come up in Paper 3.

What each paper is, how long it runs and where Cambridge International publishes it: 9701 past papers.

Found a mismatch between this map and a lesson? Report it from the relevant lesson page.