A-Level Chemistry

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A-Level Chemistry (9701) is really three subjects that must talk to each other: physical (energy, equilibrium, rates, electrochemistry), inorganic (periodicity, Group 2, Group 17, transition elements) and organic, which grows from alkanes into a long chain of mechanisms and ends with NMR and mass spectrometry.

Most lost marks here are not from hard chemistry. They come from missing conditions, unbalanced equations, no state symbols, and organic answers that give a product but not the mechanism arrows the scheme pays for.

Organic needs a different kind of revision: draw one reaction map by hand and keep adding to it. The exam asks you to get from one functional group to another, not to recite a single reaction.

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Past Papers

1
Atomic structure
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- 1.1 What an atom is made of
- 1.2 Isotopes
- 1.3 Electrons, energy levels and orbitals
- 1.4 Ionisation energy
- 1.4 Exam tips
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2
Atoms, molecules and stoichiometry
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- 2.1 Relative masses of atoms and molecules
- 2.2 The mole and the Avogadro constant
- 2.3 Formulas
- 2.4 Reacting masses and volumes
- 2.4 Exam tips
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3
Chemical bonding
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- 3.1 Electronegativity
- 3.2 Ionic bonding
- 3.3 Metallic bonding
- 3.4 Covalent and coordinate bonding
- 3.5 Shapes of molecules
- 3.6 Intermolecular forces
- 3.7 Dot-and-cross diagrams
- 3.7 Exam tips
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4
States of matter
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- 4.1 The gaseous state
- 4.2 Bonding and structure
- 4.2 Exam tips
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5
Chemical energetics
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- 5.1 Enthalpy change, ΔH
- 5.2 Hess's law
- 5.2 Exam tips
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6
Electrochemistry
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- 6.1 Oxidation number
- 6.1 Redox in terms of electrons
- 6.1 Using oxidation numbers to balance equations
- 6.1 Disproportionation
- 6.1 Oxidising and reducing agents
- 6.1 Exam tips
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7
Equilibria
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- 7.1 Reversible reactions and dynamic equilibrium
- 7.1 Le Chatelier's principle
- 7.1 Equilibrium constants
- 7.1 The Haber and Contact processes
- 7.2 Acids and bases: the Brønsted–Lowry theory
- 7.2 Strong and weak acids and bases
- 7.2 Neutralisation, salts and titration curves
- 7.2 Exam tips
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8
Reaction kinetics
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- 8.1 Rate of reaction
- 8.2 Temperature and activation energy
- 8.3 Catalysts
- 8.3 Exam tips
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9
The Periodic Table: chemical periodicity
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- 9.1 Physical properties across Period 3
- 9.2 Chemical properties across Period 3
- 9.3 Periodicity of other elements
- 9.3 Exam tips
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10
Group 2
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- 10.1 The Group 2 metals
- 10.1 Exam tips
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11
Group 17
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- 11.1 Physical properties of the halogens
- 11.2 Chemical properties of the halogens and hydrogen halides
- 11.3 Reactions of the halide ions
- 11.4 Reactions of chlorine
- 11.4 Exam tips
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12
Nitrogen and sulfur
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- 12.1 Why nitrogen is unreactive
- 12.1 Ammonia and the ammonium ion
- 12.1 Oxides of nitrogen and air pollution
- 12.1 Exam tips
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13
An introduction to AS Level organic chemistry
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- 13.1 Formulas, functional groups and naming
- 13.2 Characteristic organic reactions
- 13.3 Shapes of organic molecules
- 13.4 Isomerism
- 13.4 Exam tips
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14
Hydrocarbons
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- 14.1 Alkanes
- 14.2 Alkenes
- 14.2 Exam tips
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15
Halogen compounds
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- 15.1 Halogenoalkanes
- 15.1 Nucleophilic substitution
- 15.1 Elimination
- 15.1 The S$_\text{N}$1 and S$_\text{N}$2 mechanisms
- 15.1 Different reactivities
- 15.1 Exam tips
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16
Hydroxy compounds
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- 16.1 Alcohols
- 16.1 Exam tips
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17
Carbonyl compounds
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- 17.1 Aldehydes and ketones
- 17.1 Tests for carbonyl compounds
- 17.1 Exam tips
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18
Carboxylic acids and derivatives
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- 18.1 Carboxylic acids
- 18.2 Esters
- 18.2 Exam tips
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19
Nitrogen compounds
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- 19.1 Primary amines
- 19.2 Nitriles and hydroxynitriles
- 19.2 Exam tips
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20
Polymerisation
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- 20.1 Addition polymerisation
- 20.1 The problem of disposal
- 20.1 Exam tips
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21
Organic synthesis
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- 21.1 Organic synthesis
- 21.1 Exam tips
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22
Analytical techniques
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- 22.1 Infrared spectroscopy
- 22.2 Mass spectrometry
- 22.2 Exam tips
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23
Chemical energetics
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- 23.1 Lattice energy and Born–Haber cycles
- 23.2 Enthalpies of solution and hydration
- 23.3 Entropy change, ΔS
- 23.4 Gibbs free energy change, ΔG
- 23.4 Exam tips
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24
Electrochemistry
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- 24.1 Electrolysis
- 24.2 Standard electrode potentials and cell potentials
- 24.2 Exam tips
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25
Equilibria
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- 25.1 Conjugate acids and bases
- 25.1 pH and the equilibrium constants
- 25.1 Buffer solutions
- 25.1 Solubility product
- 25.2 Partition coefficients
- 25.2 Exam tips
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26
Reaction kinetics
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- 26.1 Rate equations and orders
- 26.1 Reaction mechanisms
- 26.2 Catalysts
- 26.2 Exam tips
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27
Group 2
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- 27.1 Thermal stability of the nitrates and carbonates
- 27.1 Solubility of the hydroxides and sulfates
- 27.1 Exam tips
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28
Chemistry of transition elements
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- 28.1 Transition elements
- 28.2 Ligands and complexes
- 28.3 Why complexes are coloured
- 28.4 Stereoisomerism in complexes
- 28.5 Stability constants
- 28.5 Exam tips
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29
An introduction to A Level organic chemistry
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- 29.1 New functional groups and naming
- 29.2 Two new types of mechanism
- 29.3 The shape of benzene
- 29.4 Optical isomerism
- 29.4 Exam tips
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30
Hydrocarbons
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- 30.1 Arenes
- 30.1 Exam tips
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31
Halogen compounds
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- 31.1 Making halogenoarenes
- 31.1 Why a halogenoarene is less reactive than a halogenoalkane
- 31.1 Common mistakes
- 31.1 Exam tips
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32
Hydroxy compounds
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- 32.1 Alcohols with acyl chlorides
- 32.2 Phenol
- 32.2 Exam tips
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33
Carboxylic acids and derivatives
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- 33.1 Carboxylic acids
- 33.2 Esters
- 33.3 Acyl chlorides
- 33.3 Exam tips
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34
Nitrogen compounds
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- 34.1 Primary and secondary amines
- 34.2 Phenylamine and azo compounds
- 34.3 Amides
- 34.4 Amino acids
- 34.4 Exam tips
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35
Polymerisation
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- 35.1 Condensation polymerisation
- 35.2 Predicting the type of polymerisation
- 35.3 Degradable polymers
- 35.3 Exam tips
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36
Organic synthesis
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- 36.1 Organic synthesis
- 36.1 Exam tips
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37
Analytical techniques
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- 37.1 Thin-layer chromatography
- 37.2 Gas/liquid chromatography
- 37.3 Carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy
- 37.4 Proton (¹H) NMR spectroscopy
- 37.4 Exam tips
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Atomic structure

Atoms, molecules and stoichiometry

Chemical bonding

States of matter

Chemical energetics

Electrochemistry

Equilibria

Reaction kinetics

The Periodic Table: chemical periodicity

Group 2

Group 17

Nitrogen and sulfur

An introduction to AS Level organic chemistry

Hydrocarbons

Halogen compounds

Hydroxy compounds

Carbonyl compounds

Carboxylic acids and derivatives

Nitrogen compounds

Polymerisation

Organic synthesis

Analytical techniques