NEET Chemistry Question (2026) — Solution

Step-by-step solution

The given carbocation has a positively charged carbon atom that is sp^2 hybridized, possessing an empty unhybridized p-orbital. This empty p-orbital is stabilized by hyperconjugation, where the filled C-H bonding orbitals of the adjacent methyl group overlap with the empty p-orbital to donate electron density. Additionally, it is stabilized by resonance, where the filled bonding orbitals of the adjacent benzene ring overlap with the empty p-orbital to delocalize electrons. Thus, the stabilization occurs through the interaction of the empty p-orbital with filled and filled orbitals. Answer: filled and filled orbitals