What is a carbocation?

A carbocation is defined as a positively charged carbon species. This occurs when a carbon atom has only three bonds instead of the usual four, resulting in a positive charge. The positive charge is due to the carbon atom having one less electron than it would in a neutral state, making it electron-deficient and unstable. This characteristic makes carbocations highly reactive, as they seek to bond with available electrons or negatively charged particles to achieve a stable electron configuration.

The other options do not describe a carbocation accurately. A negatively charged ion refers to an anion, which carries an excess of electrons and is not specific to carbon species. A neutral carbon atom, by definition, has a balanced number of protons and electrons and does not exhibit the properties of a carbocation. Lastly, a negatively charged oxygen species pertains to an anion of oxygen, which is unrelated to the structure and behavior of carbocations in organic chemistry. Therefore, the correct identification of a carbocation as a positively charged carbon species is crucial for understanding its role in various chemical reactions.