Final answer:
In hyperconjugation in carbocations, the carbon atom of the carbocation holds the more positive charge since it lacks a full octet of electrons. Alkyl groups can donate electron density to the carbocation, stabilizing it, but the carbon itself remains the most positively charged atom due to its electron deficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
In hyperconjugation in carbocations, the more positive charge is often concentrated on the carbon atom that lacks a full octet of electrons. This carbon atom is positively charged because it's missing an electron, and as a result, it is often denoted as a carbocation (C+). Hyperconjugation involves adjacent σ-bonds (such as C-H or C-C bonds) which can donate electron density to the carbocation, stabilizing it.
Due to hyperconjugation, alkyl groups attached to the carbocation can donate electron density through their σ-bonds, thereby reducing the positive charge on the carbocation. Despite this stabilization, the carbon atom of the carbocation remains the atom with more positive charge compared to its neighboring atoms.