CIE A Level Chemistry 9701 Paper 1: which topics have the most questions
By the Examaced team. , 6 min read
Paper 1 of CIE A Level Chemistry 9701 is all multiple choice. The Examaced question bank holds 1,400 Paper 1 questions from 2022–2026, tagged across 22 syllabus topics. Counting them shows which topics have carried the paper, and that organic chemistry is a bigger part of it than many students expect.
Physical, inorganic and organic
Grouping the 22 topics the way the syllabus does gives this split of topic tags:
| Area | Topics | Tags | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical chemistry | Atomic structure to reaction kinetics | 626 | 40% |
| Inorganic chemistry | Periodicity, Group 2, Group 17, nitrogen and sulfur | 280 | 18% |
| Organic chemistry | Introduction to organic chemistry to analytical techniques | 653 | 42% |
Organic chemistry has the most tags of the three areas. If you've been leaving it until last because it comes last in the syllabus, Paper 1 is a reason to start sooner.
All 22 topics, ranked
| Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
| An introduction to AS Level organic chemistry | 129 |
| Nitrogen and sulfur | 115 |
| Atoms, molecules and stoichiometry | 113 |
| Carboxylic acids and derivatives | 90 |
| Halogen compounds | 89 |
| Atomic structure | 86 |
| Equilibria | 86 |
| Chemical bonding | 81 |
| Electrochemistry | 81 |
| Reaction kinetics | 81 |
| Hydroxy compounds | 81 |
| Carbonyl compounds | 79 |
| Hydrocarbons | 77 |
| Chemical energetics | 74 |
| The Periodic Table: chemical periodicity | 73 |
| Group 2 | 51 |
| Group 17 | 41 |
| Analytical techniques | 32 |
| Polymerisation | 31 |
| Nitrogen compounds | 30 |
| States of matter | 24 |
| Organic synthesis | 15 |
Counts are the question bank's topic tags. A question can sit under more than one topic, so treat them as a guide to weight, not exact shares of the paper.
What the numbers say
The organic introduction leads
An introduction to AS Level organic chemistry has 129 questions, more than any other topic. Naming, isomerism, functional groups and reaction types sit underneath almost every other organic question, so time spent here pays off across ten topics.
Nitrogen and sulfur punches above its size
Nitrogen and sulfur has 115 questions, more than Group 2 and Group 17 combined (92). It's a short section of the syllabus with a lot of questions per page of notes.
Stoichiometry is the other giant
Atoms, molecules and stoichiometry has 113 questions. Moles, equations and calculations show up in other topics too, so speed here saves time across the whole paper.
Small topics
Organic synthesis (15), States of matter (24) and Nitrogen compounds (30) have the fewest tagged questions. Cover them, but they're better finished in one sitting than spread across weeks.
How to plan Paper 1 practice
- Biggest topics first, one at a time. An introduction to AS Level organic chemistry (129), Nitrogen and sulfur (115) and Atoms, molecules and stoichiometry (113).
- Mark instantly. Multiple choice gives you feedback straight away. Note which topics you get wrong, not just your total.
- Redo what you missed. Getting a question right the second time is the point of the first attempt.
- Then sit full papers to practice pacing across all 22 topics.
Practicing Paper 1 in Examaced
In Examaced, choose Chemistry 9701, Paper 1, then a topic. Each question shows the original paper; choose A, B, C or D for immediate feedback and automatic marks. Structured questions in Papers 2 and 4 open with the mark scheme beside your working.
Start with an introduction to as level organic chemistry, or see every 9701 paper and topic.