# O Level Chemistry (5070) tutoring online

> Our O Level Chemistry tutors cover the full Cambridge 5070 syllabus, from atomic structure and stoichiometry to organic chemistry, with weekly past-paper practice and Paper 4 (Alternative to Practical) training. Classes are live online, 1:1 or in small groups, and scheduled for students in Pakistan, the Gulf and the UK.

Source: https://www.gradeupinternational.com/o-level/chemistry
Last updated: 2026-10-01
Publisher: GradeUp International (https://www.gradeupinternational.com/)

Taught by: [Waseem Abbas](https://www.gradeupinternational.com/tutors/waseem-abbas), [Nimra Muqadas](https://www.gradeupinternational.com/tutors/nimra-muqadas).

O Level Chemistry is a core science for students planning medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering or any A Level science. It explains how substances are built and how they react, and ideas such as moles, bonding and energy changes underpin both Biology and Physics. The syllabus has twelve topics, running from states of matter and atomic structure through electrochemistry, acids and salts and the Periodic Table, to metals, the environment, organic chemistry and chemical analysis.

Students sit three components. Paper 1 contains 40 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour and is worth 30%. Paper 2 is a 1 hour 45 minute theory paper worth 80 marks and 50%, with short-answer and structured questions that often place familiar chemistry in an unfamiliar context. The final 20% comes from either Paper 3, a practical test in a laboratory, or Paper 4, the written Alternative to Practical, which tests apparatus, observations, chemical tests and planning.

Mole calculations are a frequent stumbling block, followed by ionic equations, predicting electrolysis products and remembering organic reaction conditions. Qualitative analysis, where ions and gases are identified from test results, also loses marks because observations must be stated precisely. A Level Chemistry builds directly on 5070 stoichiometry, bonding and organic chemistry, so students who master these now begin AS Level with a clear advantage and more time for the new material.

## How is O Level Chemistry examined?

### Cambridge O Level Chemistry (5070), Cambridge International Education

| Paper | Duration | Marks | Weighting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Paper 1: Multiple Choice | 1 hour | 40 | 30% |
| Paper 2: Theory | 1 hour 45 minutes | 80 | 50% |
| Paper 3: Practical Test | 1 hour 30 minutes | 40 | 20% |
| Paper 4: Alternative to Practical | 1 hour | 40 | 20% |

Syllabus for examination in 2026, 2027 and 2028. Grades A* to E. Examined in the June and November series.

Official syllabus: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-o-level-chemistry-5070/

## What topics are in O Level Chemistry?

- States of matter: Describing particle arrangement without mentioning movement and energy, and misreading heating and cooling curves.
- Atoms, elements and compounds: Dot-and-cross diagrams with the wrong number of outer electrons, and mixing up ionic and covalent properties.
- Stoichiometry: Using masses instead of moles in the ratio step, and not converting cm³ to dm³ in concentration and gas-volume calculations.
- Electrochemistry: Predicting the wrong product at an electrode and writing half-equations with electrons on the wrong side.
- Chemical energetics: Mislabelling energy-level diagrams and confusing bond breaking (endothermic) with bond making (exothermic).
- Chemical reactions: Explaining rate changes without referring to the frequency of successful collisions, and misapplying equilibrium shifts.
- Acids, bases and salts: Choosing the wrong salt-preparation method (titration or excess solid) and missing state symbols.
- The Periodic Table: Stating group trends without explaining them in terms of electrons and atomic structure.
- Metals: Misordering the reactivity series and confusing the purpose of each stage of metal extraction.
- Chemistry of the environment: Mixing up the sources and effects of different pollutants, and vague answers on water treatment.
- Organic chemistry: Structural formulae with the wrong number of bonds, and missing reaction conditions such as catalyst and temperature.
- Experimental techniques and chemical analysis: Imprecise test observations, such as 'white precipitate' without saying whether it dissolves in excess.

## How do you get top marks?

- Lay out every mole calculation as a chain (mass, moles, ratio, moles, answer) so method marks survive a single arithmetic slip.
- Learn the qualitative-analysis results in the syllabus exactly, including colour and behaviour in excess reagent.
- Include state symbols when asked, and balance charge as well as atoms in ionic equations.
- In 'explain' questions on rates and bonding, use the expected terms: collision frequency, activation energy, electrostatic attraction, delocalised electrons.
- In Paper 4, record observations (for example 'effervescence') rather than conclusions ('carbon dioxide produced') unless identification is asked for.
- Take relative atomic masses from the Periodic Table printed in the paper rather than relying on memory.

## Fees

1:1: PKR 2,800 / AED 110 / GBP 22 per 60-minute class. Small group: PKR 9,500 per month. [All currencies](https://www.gradeupinternational.com/pricing).

## Frequently asked questions

### How can I get an A* in O Level Chemistry?

To get an A* in O Level Chemistry you need full topic coverage, fluent mole calculations, precise practical knowledge and plenty of timed past-paper practice. Learning test results and definitions exactly, and checking answers against official mark schemes, closes most gaps. Our tutors build revision around your weakest topics first, but no tutor can honestly guarantee a grade.

### What topics are in O Level Chemistry 5070?

O Level Chemistry 5070 has twelve topics: states of matter; atoms, elements and compounds; stoichiometry; electrochemistry; chemical energetics; chemical reactions; acids, bases and salts; the Periodic Table; metals; chemistry of the environment; organic chemistry; and experimental techniques and chemical analysis. Questions on any paper can draw on any of these areas.

### Is O Level Chemistry hard?

O Level Chemistry is moderately challenging: most students find the ideas logical but need practice with mole calculations, equations and organic chemistry. The subject builds on itself, so gaps in early topics such as bonding cause problems later. Students who revise steadily and start past-paper questions early usually find it far more manageable than those who leave it late.

### How many papers are there in O Level Chemistry?

O Level Chemistry 5070 has three components: Paper 1 Multiple Choice (1 hour, 40 marks, 30%), Paper 2 Theory (1 hour 45 minutes, 80 marks, 50%) and a practical paper worth 20%. For the practical, students take either Paper 3, a laboratory test, or Paper 4, the written Alternative to Practical. Grades are awarded from A* to E.

### What is Paper 4 in O Level Chemistry?

Paper 4 in O Level Chemistry 5070 is the Alternative to Practical, a 1-hour written paper worth 40 marks and 20% of the final grade. It assesses practical skills without a laboratory: choosing apparatus, reading measurements, recording observations, identifying ions and gases, processing results and planning an experiment. It is taken instead of the laboratory-based Paper 3.

### Can I take Chemistry without Physics in O Level?

Yes, Cambridge allows you to take O Level Chemistry without Physics, because no particular science combination is required. Whether it is sensible depends on your plans: medicine and biological sciences mainly need Chemistry and Biology, while engineering routes need Physics. Some schools fix their science groups, so check your school's options and A Level entry requirements first.