Edexcel A-level Chemistry (9CH0): papers, topics and grade boundaries

Edexcel A-level Chemistry papers at a glance

The specification is the Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Chemistry (issue 3, February 2024). Papers can include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculation and extended writing questions, and at least 20% of the marks across the three papers are for mathematics at Level 2 or above. All assessment is in May/June in a single year.

Which topics are on which paper

• Paper 1: 1 Atomic structure and the periodic table; 2 Bonding and structure; 3 Redox I; 4 Inorganic chemistry and the periodic table; 5 Formulae, equations and amounts of substance; 8 Energetics I; 10 Equilibrium I; 11 Equilibrium II; 12 Acid-base equilibria; 13 Energetics II; 14 Redox II; 15 Transition metals.
• Paper 2: 2 Bonding and structure; 3 Redox I; 5 Formulae, equations and amounts of substance; 6 Organic chemistry I; 7 Modern analytical techniques I; 9 Kinetics I; 16 Kinetics II; 17 Organic chemistry II; 18 Organic chemistry III; 19 Modern analytical techniques II.
• Paper 3: any topic, with synoptic questions drawing on two or more, and questions on the practical skills in the core practicals.

Paper 3 is the largest and the hardest to prepare for, because it can combine any topics. Its questions on conceptual and theoretical understanding of experimental methods draw on the core practicals.

Science practical endorsement and core practicals

The Science Practical Endorsement is assessed by your teacher and monitored by Pearson. You do at least 12 practical activities that meet the criteria, including the 16 core practicals in the specification, and the result is a pass reported separately from the grade. Core practicals are also examined in the written papers.

Worked examples in Edexcel style

Amount of substance: a titration

25.0 cm³ of sodium hydroxide solution is neutralised by 21.6 cm³ of 0.100 mol dm⁻³ hydrochloric acid, NaOH + HCl → NaCl + H₂O. The moles of acid, then the 1 : 1 ratio, then the concentration:

Equilibrium: calculating K_c

For N₂ + 3H₂ ⇌ 2NH₃ the equilibrium concentrations are [N₂] = 0.50, [H₂] = 0.30 and [NH₃] = 0.20 mol dm⁻³:

Work out the units from the expression: mol² dm⁻⁶ on top and mol⁴ dm⁻¹² underneath leaves dm⁶ mol⁻². Practise predicting shapes in our Chemical Bonding course, then press Mark to check your answer in the course:

Acids and bases: pH of a strong base

Find the pH of 0.020 mol dm⁻³ sodium hydroxide at 25 °C, where K_(w) = 1.00 × 10⁻¹⁴ mol² dm⁻⁶. NaOH is fully ionised, so [OH⁻] = 0.020, and:

Formulae: an empirical formula

A compound is 62.1% carbon, 10.3% hydrogen and 27.6% oxygen by mass. Divide each by its relative atomic mass, then by the smallest result:

The empirical formula is C₃H₆O. Show each division, because the method marks are for the ratio, not the final formula alone.

Edexcel A-level Chemistry grade boundaries

These are Pearson's overall A level boundaries from its document "Grade boundaries: Edexcel GCE AS/A Level, June 2026". Each figure is the minimum mark, out of 300, at which a grade can be achieved.

An A* needed 246 of 300 and an A needed 212. Compare with the AQA subject boundaries in theAQA A-level Chemistry guide, which are out of 300 on a different set of papers, so the two sets of numbers are not comparable.

How Edexcel A-level Chemistry differs from AQA

AQA A-level Chemistry (7405) has three 2-hour papers of 105, 105 and 90 marks, weighted 35%, 35% and 30%, and 12 required practicals. Edexcel splits the same A-level into the shorter 90-mark Papers 1 and 2 and a 120-mark Paper 3 worth 40%, and has 16 core practicals. The weighting of Paper 3 is the biggest difference: 40% of your grade is synoptic.

Use the daily paper as a short timed mock

Uni-Sine publishes a free daily paper on theA-level Chemistry: Paper 1andA-level Chemistry: Paper 2tracks. Each is a short timed paper of 8 questions worth 25 to 35 marks, not a full Edexcel paper, and it is not written by Pearson. They cover ionisation energy, bonding, enthalpy, kinetics, equilibria, redox, amount of substance, organic chemistry, transition metals, electrode potentials, NMR, rate equations, buffers and organic synthesis. Use them as short mocks, and do Paper 3 style practice from the board's own papers.

Common mistakes in Edexcel A-level Chemistry

• Wrong units on K_(c) and rate constants.
• Not showing the expression before substituting.
• Weak synoptic links. Paper 3 rewards connecting ideas from different topics.

Exam answers

The answers and a worked mark scheme come with today's paper once it is marked. We do not publish official or past paper answers. Every question on the daily paper is our own.

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UK · A-levelEdexcel A-level Chemistry grade boundaries 2026: every gradeEdexcel A-level Chemistry June 2026 boundaries: A* 246, A 212 out of 300, with the large AS rise and 2025 and 2024 alongside.