Chemistry - GOC Question with Solution | TestHub

The given carbocation has a positively charged carbon atom that is $s{p}^2$ hybridized, possessing an empty unhybridized p-orbital.

This empty p-orbital is stabilized by hyperconjugation, where the filled C-H $\sigma$ 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 $\pi$ bonding orbitals of the adjacent benzene ring overlap with the empty p-orbital to delocalize $\pi$ electrons.

Thus, the stabilization occurs through the interaction of the empty p-orbital with filled $\sigma$ and filled $\pi$ orbitals.

Answer: filled $\sigma$ and filled $\pi$ orbitals