A 0.01 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution is provided. Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid, dissociating completely in water.
Step 1: Dissociation Equation
\[
\text{HCl} \to \text{H}^+ + \text{Cl}^-
\]
As HCl is a strong acid, the hydrogen ion concentration (\(\text{H}^+\)) is equivalent to the HCl concentration, which is 0.01 M.
Step 2: pH Calculation
The pH formula is:
\[
\text{pH} = -\log[\text{H}^+]
\]
Substituting the hydrogen ion concentration:
\[
\text{pH} = -\log(0.01) = -\log(10^{-2}) = 2
\]
Answer: The solution's pH is 2, corresponding to option (2).