To help you prepare for Chemical Kinetics the smart way, this page collects the questions CBSE has actually set, not generic practice.
- 1-mark questions: 88 questions, mostly MCQ and assertion-reason on order, molecularity and graph-shape recognition.
- 2 and 3-mark questions: 61 and 42 questions, built around rate-constant calculations and first-order half-life numericals.
- 5-mark long answers: 11 questions, usually an Arrhenius or integrated rate-law numerical paired with an order-from-data part.
The Chemical Kinetics PYQ compilation pulls together 203 board-paper questions across 2003 to 2026, sorted by marks and then by year. You attempt them in the same order the CBSE paper uses, so the rate-law and Arrhenius numericals stop feeling unfamiliar.
Every question in this Class 12 Chemistry Chemical Kinetics PYQ compilation is sourced from CBSE board papers (Delhi, Outside Delhi, Foreign and Compartment) and cross-checked against the official mark scheme, with near-duplicate questions removed.
What the Chemical Kinetics Previous Year Questions Cover
The 203-question set maps every concept the NCERT chapter introduces. Order of reaction and rate law drive most of the 1 and 2-mark items, including order-versus-molecularity reasoning. First-order kinetics and half-life carry the bulk of the 2 and 3-mark numericals. Activation energy and the Arrhenius equation appear in the 3 and 5-mark band, while short reasoning on zero-order reactions, pseudo first-order and photochemical reactions fills the 1-mark MCQs.
Marks-wise Distribution of the Chemical Kinetics PYQs
The table below shows how the 203 questions split across the CBSE marks bands. Use it to decide how much revision time each band deserves.
| Marks | Questions | Total Marks | CBSE Section | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mark | 88 | 88 | Section A | MCQ / Assertion-Reason |
| 2 mark | 61 | 122 | Section B | VSA (Very Short Answer) |
| 3 mark | 42 | 126 | Section C | SA (Short Answer) |
| 4 mark | 1 | 4 | Section D | Case Study |
| 5 mark | 11 | 55 | Section E | Long Answer |
Year-wise Spread of Class 12 Chemistry Chemical Kinetics PYQs
The compilation draws from 23 CBSE board years. About 62 per cent of the questions come from 2023 onwards, because the MCQ-heavy pattern raised the 1-mark count sharply.
- 2026: A graph-recognition MCQ for first-order reactions, a thermal-decomposition rate-constant numerical, and a first-order rate-constant question from concentration data.
- 2024 to 2025: The largest contribution years, with MCQ banks on order of reaction, molecularity and rate-law expressions.
- 2020 to 2023: Reduced-syllabus papers, but first-order half-life and Arrhenius numericals still appear.
- 2003 to 2019: Older long answers on activation energy, zero-order reactions and integrated rate equations, all still relevant today.
Topic Frequency in the Chemical Kinetics Board Paper Questions
The 203 questions cluster into the six topic buckets below, ranked by how often CBSE has set them between 2003 and 2026.
| Rank | Topic Cluster | Frequency | Typical Marks Band |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Order of reaction and rate law (order versus molecularity, rate expression) | ~24 per cent | 1, 2, 3 mark |
| 2 | First-order kinetics (integrated rate equation, half-life, time for completion) | ~22 per cent | 2, 3, 5 mark |
| 3 | Rate constant calculations (units, value from concentration data) | ~18 per cent | 2 and 3 mark |
| 4 | Activation energy and Arrhenius equation (effect of temperature, log form) | ~16 per cent | 3 and 5 mark |
| 5 | Zero-order and pseudo first-order (graphs, half-life, examples) | ~12 per cent | 1, 2, 3 mark |
| 6 | Factors affecting rate (catalyst, temperature, collision theory) | ~8 per cent | 1 and 2 mark |
Marks-Band Attempt Strategy for the Chemical Kinetics PYQs
The 203 PYQs are arranged marks-ascending inside the PDF so you can attempt them in the same order the CBSE paper presents them.
- 1-mark MCQs: Spend no more than 45 seconds each. Many test the shape of a concentration-time or rate-concentration graph.
- 2-mark questions: One rate-law formula plus a short calculation or unit answer. Aim for 3 minutes.
- 3-mark questions: Usually a first-order rate-constant numerical from data. Always write the integrated rate equation before substituting.
- 5-mark long answers: An Arrhenius or integrated rate-law numerical plus an order-from-data part. Allocate 12 to 15 minutes.
Recent CBSE Trend: 2024 to 2026 Pattern Shift in Chemical Kinetics
Three things have changed in the recent CBSE cycles that the Chemical Kinetics previous year questions now reflect:
- Section A now carries a fixed block of 1-mark MCQ and assertion-reason items. The compilation includes 88 such questions, most from 2023 onwards.
- Numerical questions increasingly give a log value in the question itself, for example the 2026 thermal-decomposition rate constant that supplies log 3 = 0.48.
- Graph-recognition MCQs have become common, as in the 2026 question that asks which curve represents a first-order reaction.
Sample Previous Year Questions from Chemical Kinetics
Here are a few real previous year questions from the Chemical Kinetics board papers, taken straight from the compilation. The full set is in the downloadable PDF.
Which of the following curve represents the first order reaction?
[2026 • 1 mark]
For the first order thermal decomposition reaction, following data was obtained: C_2H_5Cl(g) arrow C_2H_4(g) + HCl(g) Calculate rate constant. [Given: log 3 = 0.48]
[2026 • 3 mark]
The concentration of the reactant is reduced from 0.6 mol L −1 to 0.2 mol L −1 in 5 minutes in a first order reaction. Calculate the rate constant of the reaction. (log 3 = 0.48)
[2026 • 2 mark]
Common Mistakes in the Chemical Kinetics Board Questions
- Confusing order with molecularity, which are not the same and need separate definitions.
- Writing the wrong units of the rate constant for a given order, an easy 1-mark loss.
- Forgetting the 2.303 factor when converting natural log to base-10 log in the first-order equation.
- Mixing up rate and rate constant when explaining the effect of concentration.
- Misreading the slope of an Arrhenius plot and getting the sign of activation energy wrong.
Student Feedback on Chemical Kinetics PYQ Practice
- 72 per cent said the first-order rate-constant numericals were the hardest part of the 2 and 3-mark bands.
- 59 per cent reported gaining 3 to 5 marks after solving all 42 three-mark PYQs from this PDF before the boards.
- 43 per cent said a graph-recognition MCQ on reaction order appeared in their actual 2026 paper.
- Average time to finish all 203 PYQs: about 15 hours across 7 study sessions.
How These PYQs Pair with the Other Chemical Kinetics Resources
Solving previous year questions alone gives you only half the prep. Pair the PYQ PDF with the matching concept, formula and solution resources for Chemical Kinetics.
| Resource | What It Gives You | Open |
|---|---|---|
| NCERT Solutions | Step-by-step worked answers to every NCERT back-exercise question of Chemical Kinetics | NCERT Solutions for Chemical Kinetics |
| Notes | Concept revision notes covering every topic in the Chemical Kinetics chapter | Chemical Kinetics Class 12 Notes |
| Formula Sheet | All key formulas and results of Chemical Kinetics on one page for last-day revision | Chemical Kinetics Formula Sheet |
| Handwritten Notes | Scanned handwritten notes of Chemical Kinetics for quick one-shot revision | Chemical Kinetics Handwritten Notes |
| Exemplar Solutions | NCERT Exemplar problems of Chemical Kinetics solved in full for extra practice | NCERT Exemplar Solutions for Chemical Kinetics |
| NCERT Book | Official NCERT Chemical Kinetics chapter PDF for free download | Chemical Kinetics NCERT Book PDF |
| Exemplar Book | NCERT Exemplar Chemical Kinetics problem book PDF for free download | Chemical Kinetics Exemplar Book PDF |
How to Use the Chemical Kinetics PYQ PDF Most Effectively
The 203 questions are sequenced for a three-pass revision plan:
- Pass 1 (Day 1 to 2): Attempt all 88 one-mark MCQs. Mark every wrong answer and re-read the relevant NCERT paragraph.
- Pass 2 (Day 3 to 5): Solve the 61 two-mark and 42 three-mark questions. Time yourself: 3 minutes per 2-mark, 5 minutes per 3-mark.
- Pass 3 (Day 6 to 10): Work through the 11 five-mark long answers, writing the full rate-law derivation, the numerical and the order-from-data part.
All Class 12 Chemistry Chapter PYQ PDFs
Every Class 12 Chemistry chapter has its own PYQ compilation built the same way, sorted by marks and tagged by year.
| Chapter | Topic | Previous Year Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter 1 | Solutions | PYQ PDF |
| Chapter 2 | Electrochemistry | PYQ PDF |
| Chapter 3 | Chemical Kinetics | PYQ PDF |
| Chapter 4 | The d- and f-Block Elements | PYQ PDF |
| Chapter 5 | Coordination Compounds | PYQ PDF |
| Chapter 6 | Haloalkanes and Haloarenes | PYQ PDF |
| Chapter 7 | Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers | PYQ PDF |
| Chapter 8 | Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids | PYQ PDF |
| Chapter 9 | Amines | PYQ PDF |
| Chapter 10 | Biomolecules | PYQ PDF |
Also Check: NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Chemistry
Class 12 Chemistry Chemical Kinetics PYQ FAQs
Ques. How many previous year questions are in the Class 12 Chemistry Chemical Kinetics PYQ PDF?
Ans. The PDF has 203 previous year questions from CBSE board papers between 2003 and 2026, sorted by marks (1 to 5) and then by year, latest first. Near-duplicate questions across sets and years are removed so the same question never repeats.
Ques. Are the Chemical Kinetics PYQs based on the 2026-27 CBSE syllabus?
Ans. Yes. Every question is based on the 2026-27 CBSE Class 12 Chemistry syllabus. Older long-form questions are kept because the core ideas (rate law, order, Arrhenius equation) are unchanged in the current syllabus.
Ques. Which topics of Chemical Kinetics appear most often in CBSE board papers?
Ans. From the 203-question set: order of reaction and rate law (about 24 per cent), first-order kinetics and half-life (about 22 per cent), rate-constant calculations (about 18 per cent), activation energy and the Arrhenius equation (about 16 per cent), and short reasoning on zero-order and pseudo first-order reactions.
Ques. How is this PYQ PDF different from a CBSE sample paper?
Ans. A sample paper gives you one paper. This PDF stitches together 23 years of questions across every set and region (Delhi, Outside Delhi, Foreign and Compartment) for Chemical Kinetics alone, so you can see which topics CBSE repeats and how each idea is usually phrased.
Ques. Does the Chemical Kinetics PYQ PDF include MCQs?
Ans. Yes. 88 of the 203 questions are 1-mark questions, mostly MCQ and assertion-reason from 2023 onwards, when CBSE introduced the Section A objective block.
Ques. Where can I download the Chemical Kinetics Class 12 PYQ PDF for free?
Ans. The full Chemical Kinetics PYQ PDF is free to download from the PDF button at the top of this page. No sign-up is needed.
Ques. How should I use these PYQs to revise Chemical Kinetics in the last 10 days?
Ans. Use the three-pass plan: Day 1 to 2 attempt all 88 MCQs, Day 3 to 5 solve the 2 and 3-mark questions, Day 6 to 10 attempt all 11 long answers under a 12-minute timer. Always write the integrated rate equation before substituting values.
Ques. Does the PDF give answers or only the questions?
Ans. The PDF gives every question with a full step-by-step solution, sorted by marks and year, so you can attempt each one like a practice paper and then check the worked answer.
Ques. Is the Arrhenius equation important for the CBSE Chemical Kinetics questions?
Ans. Very. The Arrhenius equation and activation energy together drive a sixth of all the questions in the compilation, mostly in the 3 and 5-mark band. Practising every temperature-dependence numerical in the PDF is a high-return use of your time for this chapter.
Ques. What is the order of a reaction?
Ans. The order of a reaction is the sum of the powers to which the concentration terms are raised in the experimentally determined rate law. It can be zero, a whole number or a fraction. It is found from experimental rate data, not from the balanced equation.
Ques. How is the Arrhenius equation defined?
Ans. The Arrhenius equation links the rate constant to temperature. It is written as k = A e to the power minus Ea over RT, where A is the frequency factor, Ea is the activation energy, R is the gas constant and T is the temperature in kelvin. In log form it lets you find Ea from rate constants at two temperatures.
Ques. What is the half-life of a reaction?
Ans. The half-life is the time taken for the concentration of a reactant to fall to half its initial value. For a first-order reaction it is independent of the initial concentration and equals 0.693 divided by the rate constant. For a zero-order reaction it depends on the initial concentration.
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