Which color represents hydrogen in common color conventions for atomic models?

Which color represents hydrogen in common color conventions for atomic models?

• A. Red
• B. White
• C. Blue
• D. Black

Answer: (B)

Color coding in atomic models helps you quickly identify elements. In the widely used CPK (Corey–Pauling–Kurtz) coloring scheme, hydrogen is represented by white. This choice keeps hydrogen, the lightest and most abundant element in many molecules, visually distinct from others like carbon (often black), nitrogen (blue), and oxygen (red). While some resources may show hydrogen as colorless or light gray, the standard convention in most teaching and modeling contexts is white, so the color that represents hydrogen is white.

Color coding in atomic models helps you quickly identify elements. In the widely used CPK (Corey–Pauling–Kurtz) coloring scheme, hydrogen is represented by white. This choice keeps hydrogen, the lightest and most abundant element in many molecules, visually distinct from others like carbon (often black), nitrogen (blue), and oxygen (red). While some resources may show hydrogen as colorless or light gray, the standard convention in most teaching and modeling contexts is white, so the color that represents hydrogen is white.