A-Level Chemistry 9701 Paper 1 multiple-choice practice paper (40 questions, 40 marks, 60 minutes)

2026-10-31

A-Level Chemistry 9701

A-Level Chemistry 9701 Paper 1 multiple-choice practice paper: 40 questions in 60 minutes covering stoichiometry, acids, redox, electrochemistry, equilibrium, rates and organic chemistry.

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Paper details　Level: A Level | Subject: Chemistry 9701 | Time: 60 minutes | Marks: 40 | Questions: 40

Section A: Physical and inorganic chemistry (Q1-Q20, 1 mark each, 20 marks)

Choose the one most correct option for each question.

#	Question	Answer and marking notes
1	What amount of substance is present in 4.00 g of calcium carbonate (Mr = 100.0)? A) 0.0400 mol B) 0.400 mol C) 4.00 mol D) 0.0200 mol (1 mark)	Answer: A. n = m / Mr = 4.00 / 100.0 = 0.0400 mol.
2	What volume is occupied by 0.250 mol of an ideal gas at room temperature and pressure (molar volume 24.0 dm3)? A) 3.00 dm3 B) 9.60 dm3 C) 24.0 dm3 D) 6.00 dm3 (1 mark)	Answer: D. V = n x 24.0 = 0.250 x 24.0 = 6.00 dm3.
3	5.85 g of sodium chloride (Mr = 58.5) is dissolved to make 250 cm3 of solution. What is the concentration? A) 0.400 mol dm-3 B) 0.100 mol dm-3 C) 0.0234 mol dm-3 D) 1.00 mol dm-3 (1 mark)	Answer: A. n = 5.85 / 58.5 = 0.100 mol; c = 0.100 / 0.250 = 0.400 mol dm-3.
4	What is the pH of 0.010 mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid at 298 K? A) 1.00 B) 12.00 C) 0.010 D) 2.00 (1 mark)	Answer: D. A strong acid is fully dissociated, so [H+] = 0.010 and pH = -log 0.010 = 2.00.
5	What is the pH of 0.010 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide at 298 K (Kw = 1.00 x 10-14)? A) 2.00 B) 7.00 C) 14.00 D) 12.00 (1 mark)	Answer: D. [OH-] = 0.010, so pOH = 2.00 and pH = 14.00 – 2.00 = 12.00.
6	A weak monobasic acid has pH 3.00 in 0.100 mol dm-3 solution. What is Ka? A) 1.0 x 10-5 mol dm-3 B) 1.0 x 10-3 mol dm-3 C) 1.0 x 10-7 mol dm-3 D) 1.0 x 10-1 mol dm-3 (1 mark)	Answer: A. [H+] = 1.0 x 10-3, so Ka = [H+]^2 / [HA] = 1.0 x 10-6 / 0.100 = 1.0 x 10-5.
7	Burning 0.0250 mol of a fuel raises the temperature of 50.0 g of water by 10.0 K (c = 4.18 J g-1 K-1). What is the enthalpy change of combustion per mole? A) -2.09 kJ mol-1 B) -20.9 kJ mol-1 C) -83.6 kJ mol-1 D) -418 kJ mol-1 (1 mark)	Answer: C. q = 50.0 x 4.18 x 10.0 = 2090 J = 2.09 kJ; dH = -2.09 / 0.0250 = -83.6 kJ mol-1.
8	25.0 cm3 of 0.100 mol dm-3 NaOH is titrated with 0.200 mol dm-3 HCl. What volume of acid is required? A) 12.5 cm3 B) 25.0 cm3 C) 50.0 cm3 D) 6.25 cm3 (1 mark)	Answer: A. Moles of NaOH = 25.0 x 0.100 = 2.50 mmol, so volume = 2.50 / 0.200 = 12.5 cm3.
9	The theoretical yield of a reaction is 0.200 mol and the actual yield is 0.160 mol. What is the percentage yield? A) 20.0% B) 125% C) 160% D) 80.0% (1 mark)	Answer: D. Percentage yield = 0.160 / 0.200 x 100 = 80.0%.
10	1.60 g of a gas occupies 1.20 dm3 at room temperature and pressure (24.0 dm3 mol-1). What is its Mr? A) 16.0 B) 64.0 C) 0.800 D) 32.0 (1 mark)	Answer: D. n = 1.20 / 24.0 = 0.0500 mol, so Mr = 1.60 / 0.0500 = 32.0.
11	What amount of gas is present in 2.40 dm3 at room temperature and pressure (24.0 dm3 mol-1)? A) 0.0100 mol B) 1.00 mol C) 0.100 mol D) 57.6 mol (1 mark)	Answer: C. n = V / 24.0 = 2.40 / 24.0 = 0.100 mol.
12	A gas sample has p = 1.00 x 105 Pa, V = 2.40 x 10-3 m3 and T = 298 K. What is n? (R = 8.31 J K-1 mol-1) A) 0.969 mol B) 9.69 mol C) 0.0969 mol D) 0.00969 mol (1 mark)	Answer: C. n = pV / RT = 240 / 2476 = 0.0969 mol.
13	A radioisotope has a half-life of 6.0 hours. What mass remains from 8.0 g after 24 hours? A) 2.0 g B) 1.0 g C) 0.50 g D) 0.25 g (1 mark)	Answer: C. 24 / 6.0 = 4 half-lives, so 8.0 / 2^4 = 0.50 g remains.
14	What is the oxidation number of chromium in the dichromate ion, Cr2O7 2-? A) +7 B) +6 C) +3 D) +12 (1 mark)	Answer: B. Let x be the oxidation number of Cr: 2x + 7(-2) = -2, so 2x = 12 and x = +6.
15	What is the oxidation number of sulfur in sulfuric acid, H2SO4? A) +4 B) +6 C) +2 D) -2 (1 mark)	Answer: B. 2(+1) + x + 4(-2) = 0, so x = +6.
16	What is the electron configuration of an iron atom (Z = 26)? A) [Ar] 3d8 B) [Ar] 3d5 4s1 C) [Ar] 3d6 4s2 D) [Ar] 3d6 4s1 4p1 (1 mark)	Answer: C. Iron has 26 electrons: 18 in the argon core and the remaining 8 as 3d6 4s2.
17	How many moles of ions are produced when 1 mol of Al2(SO4)3 dissolves completely? A) 2 mol B) 5 mol C) 3 mol D) 7 mol (1 mark)	Answer: B. Each formula unit gives 2 Al3+ and 3 SO4 2- ions, i.e. 5 mol of ions.
18	A compound contains 40.0% C, 6.7% H and 53.3% O by mass. What is its empirical formula? A) C2H4O B) CH2O C) CHO D) C2H6O (1 mark)	Answer: B. Mole ratio C : H : O = 3.33 : 6.7 : 3.33 = 1 : 2 : 1, giving CH2O.
19	What is the atom economy of CaCO3 -> CaO + CO2? (Mr: CaCO3 = 100.1, CaO = 56.1) A) 44.0% B) 100% C) 66.0% D) 56.0% (1 mark)	Answer: D. Atom economy = 56.1 / 100.1 x 100 = 56.0%.
20	What is the percentage by mass of nitrogen in ammonium nitrate, NH4NO3 (Mr = 80.0)? A) 17.5% B) 28.0% C) 70.0% D) 35.0% (1 mark)	Answer: D. There are 2 N atoms per formula unit: 28.0 / 80.0 x 100 = 35.0%.

Section B: Organic chemistry and analysis (Q21-Q40, 1 mark each, 20 marks)

Choose the one most correct option for each question.

#	Question	Answer and marking notes
21	0.100 mol of zinc reacts completely with excess dilute hydrochloric acid. What volume of hydrogen is produced at r.t.p. (24.0 dm3 mol-1)? A) 1.20 dm3 B) 2.40 dm3 C) 4.80 dm3 D) 24.0 dm3 (1 mark)	Answer: B. Zn + 2HCl -> ZnCl2 + H2 is 1:1, so n(H2) = 0.100 mol and V = 2.40 dm3.
22	What mass of CuSO4.5H2O (Mr = 249.7) is needed for 0.0500 mol? A) 12.5 g B) 6.24 g C) 25.0 g D) 1.25 g (1 mark)	Answer: A. m = n x Mr = 0.0500 x 249.7 = 12.485 g, i.e. 12.5 g.
23	25.0 cm3 of 0.400 mol dm-3 solution is diluted to 250 cm3. What is the new concentration? A) 0.0400 mol dm-3 B) 0.400 mol dm-3 C) 0.00400 mol dm-3 D) 4.00 mol dm-3 (1 mark)	Answer: A. A tenfold dilution: moles are unchanged, so c = 0.400 x 25.0 / 250 = 0.0400 mol dm-3.
24	A buffer contains equal concentrations of a weak acid (pKa = 4.76) and its conjugate base. What is the pH? A) 7.00 B) 9.24 C) 4.76 D) 2.38 (1 mark)	Answer: C. [A-] = [HA], so pH = pKa + log 1 = 4.76.
25	For H2 + I2 <=> 2HI, equilibrium concentrations are [H2] = 0.20, [I2] = 0.30 and [HI] = 0.60 mol dm-3. What is Kc? A) 6.0 B) 0.167 C) 10.0 D) 1.0 (1 mark)	Answer: A. Kc = [HI]^2 / ([H2][I2]) = 0.36 / 0.060 = 6.0.
26	For a reaction with ΔH = +50.0 kJ mol-1 and ΔS = +100 J K-1 mol-1, what is ΔG at 500 K? A) +100 kJ mol-1 B) -50.0 kJ mol-1 C) +50.0 kJ mol-1 D) 0.0 kJ mol-1 (1 mark)	Answer: D. dG = dH – T dS = 50.0 – 500 x 0.100 = 0.0 kJ mol-1.
27	E(Cu2+/Cu) = +0.34 V and E(Zn2+/Zn) = -0.76 V. What is Ecell for Zn + Cu2+ -> Zn2+ + Cu? A) +0.42 V B) -1.10 V C) +1.10 V D) +0.34 V (1 mark)	Answer: C. Ecell = E(cathode) – E(anode) = 0.34 – (-0.76) = +1.10 V.
28	How much charge is needed to deposit 2.00 mol of copper from Cu2+? (F = 96 500 C mol-1) A) 193 000 C B) 386 000 C C) 96 500 C D) 772 000 C (1 mark)	Answer: B. Cu2+ + 2e- -> Cu needs 4.00 mol of electrons, so 4.00 x 96 500 = 386 000 C.
29	A current of 0.500 A flows for 1930 s through copper(II) sulfate solution. What mass of copper is deposited? (Ar Cu = 63.5) A) 0.635 g B) 0.318 g C) 0.159 g D) 1.27 g (1 mark)	Answer: B. Q = 0.500 x 1930 = 965 C, n(e-) = 0.0100 mol, n(Cu) = 0.00500 mol and m = 0.318 g.
30	Doubling [A] doubles the initial rate, while doubling [B] has no effect. Which is the rate equation? A) rate = k[A]2 B) rate = k[A][B] C) rate = k[B] D) rate = k[A] (1 mark)	Answer: D. The rate is proportional to [A] and independent of [B], so rate = k[A].
31	What are the units of the rate constant for rate = k[A][B] (overall second order)? A) s-1 B) dm3 mol-1 s-1 C) mol dm-3 s-1 D) dm6 mol-2 s-1 (1 mark)	Answer: B. mol dm-3 s-1 = k (mol dm-3)^2, so k has units dm3 mol-1 s-1.
32	Why does a small rise in temperature greatly increase the rate of a reaction? A) The activation energy falls sharply B) The concentration of reactants rises C) A larger proportion of molecules has energy greater than the activation energy. D) The molecules become smaller (1 mark)	Answer: C. A higher temperature shifts the energy distribution so a much larger fraction of molecules exceeds Ea.
33	What is the bond angle in an ammonia molecule? A) 107 degrees B) 109.5 degrees C) 120 degrees D) 90 degrees (1 mark)	Answer: A. The lone pair on nitrogen repels more strongly, giving a bond angle of about 107 degrees.
34	What is the shape of the SF6 molecule? A) Tetrahedral B) Trigonal bipyramidal C) Octahedral D) Square planar (1 mark)	Answer: C. Six bonding pairs and no lone pairs give an octahedral shape.
35	What are the shape and bond angle of BF3? A) Pyramidal, 107 degrees B) Tetrahedral, 109.5 degrees C) Trigonal planar, 120 degrees D) Linear, 180 degrees (1 mark)	Answer: C. Three bonding pairs and no lone pairs give a trigonal planar shape with 120 degree angles.
36	How many structural isomers have the molecular formula C4H10? A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4 (1 mark)	Answer: B. Butane and 2-methylpropane, i.e. 2 structural isomers.
37	How many non-cyclic structural isomers (ignoring cis-trans) have the formula C4H8? A) 3 B) 2 C) 4 D) 5 (1 mark)	Answer: A. But-1-ene, but-2-ene and 2-methylpropene, i.e. 3 isomers.
38	What is the major product when hydrogen bromide is added to propene? A) 1-bromopropane B) 1,2-dibromopropane C) propan-2-ol D) 2-bromopropane (1 mark)	Answer: D. Markovnikov addition puts Br on the middle carbon, giving 2-bromopropane.
39	Propan-1-ol is refluxed with excess acidified potassium dichromate(VI). What is the organic product? A) Propanoic acid B) Propanal C) Propanone D) Propene (1 mark)	Answer: A. A primary alcohol is oxidised first to the aldehyde and then, under reflux with excess oxidant, to propanoic acid.
40	Which reagent gives an orange precipitate with a carbonyl compound? A) Tollens’ reagent B) 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine C) Fehling’s solution D) Bromine water (1 mark)	Answer: B. 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine forms an orange precipitate with both aldehydes and ketones.

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