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Cambridge A Level Chemistry

Chemistry for Cambridge A Level (syllabus 9701) — what the qualification covers, and the study material Marlbridge publishes for it.

Syllabus
9701
Board
Cambridge
Qualification
A Level

The qualification

Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry (9701)

Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry builds on the skills acquired at Cambridge IGCSE (or equivalent level). — Cambridge, official syllabus page

Cambridge publishes 9701 as a combined AS & A Level syllabus. Marlbridge treats AS Level as a distinct qualification; AS provision is not yet an approved Marlbridge offering.

Specifications change between examination series. Always confirm the current syllabus and assessment structure on the Cambridge syllabus page for your examination year.

The subject

Chemistry teaching and study resources, organised by level and topic.

All Chemistry at Marlbridge

Syllabus topics

The 37 topics below are the official subject content of Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry (9701), for the 2025-2027 examination series, reproduced from the Cambridge syllabus document.

A topic listed here is part of the syllabus. It does not mean Marlbridge has published material for it — topics with resources are marked. Marlbridge currently has resources for 37 of 37 topics.

AS Level

Topics 1–22. Studied in the first year, and assessed on the AS papers.

  1. AS 1 Atomic structure

    2 Marlbridge resources

    Particles in the atom and atomic radius · Isotopes · Electrons, energy levels and atomic orbitals · Ionisation energy

  2. AS 2 Atoms, molecules and stoichiometry

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Relative masses of atoms and molecules · The mole and the Avogadro constant · Formulas · Reacting masses and volumes (of solutions and gases)

  3. AS 3 Chemical bonding

    2 Marlbridge resources

    Electronegativity and bonding · Ionic bonding · Metallic bonding · Covalent bonding and coordinate (dative covalent) bonding · Shapes of molecules · Intermolecular forces, electronegativity and bond properties · Dot-and-cross diagrams

  4. AS 4 States of matter

    1 Marlbridge resource

    The gaseous state · Bonding and structure

  5. AS 5 Chemical energetics

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Enthalpy change · Hess's law

  6. AS 6 Electrochemistry

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Redox processes

  7. AS 7 Equilibria

    2 Marlbridge resources

    Chemical equilibria · Brønsted-Lowry theory of acids and bases

  8. AS 8 Reaction kinetics

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Rate of reaction · Effect of temperature on reaction rates and the concept of activation energy · Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts

  9. AS 9 The Periodic Table: chemical periodicity

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Periodicity of physical properties of the elements in Period 3 · Periodicity of chemical properties of the elements in Period 3 · Chemical periodicity of other elements

  10. AS 10 Group 2

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Similarities and trends in the properties of the Group 2 metals and their compounds

  11. AS 11 Group 17

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Physical properties of the Group 17 elements · The chemical properties of the halogen elements and the hydrogen halides · Some reactions of the halide ions · The reactions of chlorine

  12. AS 12 Nitrogen and sulfur

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Nitrogen and sulfur

  13. AS 13 An introduction to AS Level organic chemistry

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Formulas, functional groups and the naming of organic compounds · Characteristic organic reactions · Shapes of organic molecules; sigma and pi bonds · Isomerism: structural isomerism and stereoisomerism

  14. AS 14 Hydrocarbons

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Alkanes · Alkenes

  15. AS 15 Halogen compounds

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Halogenoalkanes

  16. AS 16 Hydroxy compounds

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Alcohols

  17. AS 17 Carbonyl compounds

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Aldehydes and ketones

  18. AS 18 Carboxylic acids and derivatives

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Carboxylic acids · Esters

  19. AS 19 Nitrogen compounds

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Primary amines · Nitriles and hydroxynitriles

  20. AS 20 Polymerisation

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Addition polymerisation

  21. AS 21 Organic synthesis

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Organic synthesis

  22. AS 22 Analytical techniques

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Infrared spectroscopy · Mass spectrometry

A Level

Topics 23–37. Studied in addition to the AS content for the full A Level.

  1. A 23 Chemical energetics

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Lattice energy and Born-Haber cycles · Enthalpies of solution and hydration · Entropy change · Gibbs free energy change

  2. A 24 Electrochemistry

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Electrolysis · Standard electrode potentials, standard cell potentials and the Nernst equation

  3. A 25 Equilibria

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Acids and bases · Partition coefficients

  4. A 26 Reaction kinetics

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Simple rate equations, orders of reaction and rate constants · Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts

  5. A 27 Group 2

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Similarities and trends in the properties of the Group 2 metals and their compounds

  6. A 28 Chemistry of transition elements

    2 Marlbridge resources

    General physical and chemical properties of the first row of transition elements, titanium to copper · General characteristic chemical properties of the first set of transition elements, titanium to copper · Colour of complexes · Stereoisomerism in transition element complexes · Stability constants, Kstab

  7. A 29 An introduction to A Level organic chemistry

    2 Marlbridge resources

    Formulas, functional groups and the naming of organic compounds · Characteristic organic reactions · Shapes of aromatic organic molecules; σ and π bonds · Isomerism: optical

  8. A 30 Hydrocarbons

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Arenes

  9. A 31 Halogen compounds

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Halogen compounds

  10. A 32 Hydroxy compounds

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Alcohols · Phenol

  11. A 33 Carboxylic acids and derivatives

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Carboxylic acids · Esters · Acyl chlorides

  12. A 34 Nitrogen compounds

    2 Marlbridge resources

    Primary and secondary amines · Phenylamine and azo compounds · Amides · Amino acids

  13. A 35 Polymerisation

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Condensation polymerisation · Predicting the type of polymerisation · Degradable polymers

  14. A 36 Organic synthesis

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Organic synthesis

  15. A 37 Analytical techniques

    2 Marlbridge resources

    Thin-layer chromatography · Gas/liquid chromatography · Carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy · Proton (1H) NMR spectroscopy

Source: Cambridge Assessment International Education — official syllabus PDF — 2025-2027 series. Verified 2026-08-17. Always check the current syllabus for your examination year.

Study resources

Revision material

No revision notes yet for this qualification

Condensed revision notes are added ahead of each examination series.

All resources

Exam preparation

Past papers and practice questions are not published yet

Past papers for 9701 are available from Cambridge directly. Marlbridge practice material for this qualification is being written.

All resources

Chemistry at other qualifications

These are separate qualifications with different syllabuses and assessments — not different names for the same course. Check which one your school enters you for.

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