Explanation of the CPK color scheme.
Each type of atom has a characteristic color. The colors are based on the plastic, space-filling models developed by Corey and Pauling, and later modified by Kultun.
| Carbon | light grey | C |
| Oxygen | red | O |
| Hydrogen | white | H |
| Nitrogen | light blue | N |
| Sulfur | yellow | S |
| Phosphorus | orange | P |
| Chlorine | green | Cl |
| Iron | orange | Fe |
| Calcium | dark grey | Ca |
| Zinc | brown | Zn |