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Alkanes past paper questions

Chemistry 9701 · Hydrocarbons. 1 recall the reactions (reagents and conditions) by which alkanes can be produced: (a) addition of hydrogen to an alkene in a hydrogenation reaction, H2(g) and Pt/Ni catalyst and heat (b) cracking of a longer chain alkane, heat with Al 2O3 2 describe: (a) the complete and incomplete combustion of alkanes (b) the free-radical substitution of alkanes by Cl 2 or Br2 in the presence of ultraviolet light, as exemplified by the reactions of ethane 3 describe the mechanism of free-radical substitution with reference to the initiation, propagation and termination steps 4 suggest how cracking can be used to obtain more useful alkanes and alkenes of lower Mr from heavier crude oil fractions 5 understand the general unreactivity of alkanes, including towards polar reagents in terms of the strength of the C–H bonds and their relative lack of polarity 6 recognise the environmental consequences of carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and unburnt hydrocarbons arising from the combustion of alkanes in the internal combustion engine and of their catalytic removal

It came up in 61 of 139 papers, for about 2 marks a paper when it does. It last came up in October/November 2025.

Often set with Characteristic organic reactions, Formulas, Infrared spectroscopy, Organic formulas and naming.

70 questions, newest first

  1. 9701/11/O/N/25 Question 28 · 1 mark
  2. 9701/11/O/N/25 Question 29 · 1 mark
  3. 9701/13/O/N/25 Question 28 · 1 mark
  4. 9701/13/O/N/25 Question 29 · 1 mark
  5. 9701/21/O/N/25 Question 3 parts (c(ii)) (c(iii)) · 3 marks
  6. 9701/22/O/N/25 Question 3 parts (b) (c) (e(iii)) · 4 marks
  7. 9701/22/O/N/25 Question 4 parts (a(i)) (a(ii)) · 4 marks
  8. 9701/23/O/N/25 Question 3 parts (c(ii)) (c(iii)) · 3 marks
  9. 9701/11/M/J/25 Question 37 · 1 mark
  10. 9701/12/M/J/25 Question 35 · 1 mark
  11. 9701/13/M/J/25 Question 36 · 1 mark
  12. 9701/23/M/J/25 Question 3 part (a(i)) · 1 mark
  13. 9701/12/F/M/25 Question 37 · 1 mark
  14. 9701/11/O/N/24 Question 31 · 1 mark
  15. 9701/13/O/N/24 Question 31 · 1 mark
  16. 9701/21/O/N/24 Question 2 parts (b(ii)) (b(iii)) · 3 marks
  17. 9701/23/O/N/24 Question 2 parts (b(ii)) (b(iii)) · 3 marks
  18. 9701/11/M/J/24 Question 28 · 1 mark
  19. 9701/11/O/N/23 Question 28 · 1 mark
  20. 9701/12/O/N/23 Question 32 · 1 mark
  21. 9701/13/O/N/23 Question 28 · 1 mark
  22. 9701/11/M/J/23 Question 27 · 1 mark
  23. 9701/12/M/J/23 Question 28 · 1 mark
  24. 9701/13/M/J/23 Question 31 · 1 mark
  25. 9701/21/M/J/23 Question 3 parts (d(i)) (d(ii)) · 4 marks
  26. 9701/21/M/J/23 Question 5 parts (a(i)) (a(ii)) · 4 marks
  27. 9701/12/F/M/23 Question 30 · 1 mark
  28. 9701/12/M/J/22 Question 24 · 1 mark
  29. 9701/12/M/J/22 Question 29 · 1 mark
  30. 9701/11/O/N/21 Question 38 · 1 mark
  31. 9701/12/O/N/21 Question 23 · 1 mark
  32. 9701/13/O/N/21 Question 38 · 1 mark
  33. 9701/12/M/J/21 Question 23 · 1 mark
  34. 9701/21/M/J/21 Question 5 parts (a(ii)) (b(i)) (b(ii)) · 3 marks
  35. 9701/12/F/M/21 Question 18 · 1 mark
  36. 9701/12/F/M/21 Question 22 · 1 mark
  37. 9701/22/F/M/21 Question 2 parts (g(i)) (g(ii)) (g(iv)) (g(v)) (g(vi)) · 5 marks
  38. 9701/11/O/N/20 Question 38 · 1 mark
  39. 9701/12/O/N/20 Question 38 · 1 mark
  40. 9701/13/O/N/20 Question 38 · 1 mark
  41. 9701/11/M/J/20 Question 35 · 1 mark
  42. 9701/12/M/J/20 Question 19 · 1 mark
  43. 9701/13/M/J/20 Question 39 · 1 mark
  44. 9701/21/M/J/20 Question 5 parts (a(i)) (b(i)) · 2 marks
  45. 9701/23/M/J/20 Question 4 parts (a) (b(i)) (b(ii)) (b(iii)) (b(iv)) · 6 marks
  46. 9701/11/O/N/19 Question 21 · 1 mark
  47. 9701/12/O/N/19 Question 37 · 1 mark
  48. 9701/13/O/N/19 Question 21 · 1 mark
  49. 9701/21/O/N/19 Question 1 parts (e(i)) (e(ii)) · 2 marks
  50. 9701/21/O/N/19 Question 3 parts (a(i)) (a(ii)) (a(iii)) · 3 marks
  51. 9701/23/O/N/19 Question 1 parts (e(i)) (e(ii)) · 2 marks
  52. 9701/23/O/N/19 Question 3 parts (a(i)) (a(ii)) (a(iii)) · 3 marks
  53. 9701/22/M/J/19 Question 4 parts (a) (b(i)) (b(ii)) (d(iii)) (d(iv)) · 6 marks
  54. 9701/12/F/M/19 Question 22 · 1 mark
  55. 9701/22/F/M/19 Question 4 parts (b(i)) (b(ii)) (b(iii)) · 3 marks
  56. 9701/21/O/N/18 Question 4 parts (b(iii)) (b(iv)) · 2 marks
  57. 9701/23/O/N/18 Question 4 part (b(iii)) · 1 mark
  58. 9701/12/M/J/18 Question 21 · 1 mark
  59. 9701/21/M/J/18 Question 2 parts (b) (c(i)) · 2 marks
  60. 9701/22/M/J/18 Question 3 parts (a(i)) (a(ii)) (b(i)) (c(iii)) · 5 marks
  61. 9701/12/M/J/17 Question 22 · 1 mark
  62. 9701/23/M/J/17 Question 4 part (a) · 1 mark
  63. 9701/11/O/N/16 Question 36 · 1 mark
  64. 9701/22/O/N/16 Question 5 part (a(i)) · 1 mark
  65. 9701/11/M/J/16 Question 23 · 1 mark
  66. 9701/12/M/J/16 Question 11 · 1 mark
  67. 9701/12/M/J/16 Question 22 · 1 mark
  68. 9701/13/M/J/16 Question 23 · 1 mark
  69. 9701/23/M/J/16 Question 3 parts (a(i)) (a(ii)) (a(iii)) (b(i)) (b(ii)) · 9 marks
  70. 9701/22/F/M/16 Question 4 part (b) · 1 mark

More in Hydrocarbons: Making alkenes, Electrophilic addition, Oxidising alkenes, Addition polymers and the bromine test.

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