Step 1: pH Formula Recall
Calculate pH using the formula: \[\text{pH} = -\log[\text{H}^+]\]
\( [\text{H}^+] \) represents the hydrogen ion concentration.Step 2: Utilize \( \text{HCl} \) Concentration
Hydrochloric acid (\( \text{HCl} \)), a strong acid, dissociates fully in water:\[\text{HCl} \rightarrow \text{H}^+ + \text{Cl}^-\]Consequently, the \( \text{H}^+ \) ion concentration equals the \( \text{HCl} \) concentration, which is \( 0.01 \, \text{M} \).Step 3: pH Calculation Insert the \( \text{H}^+ \) concentration into the pH formula:\[\text{pH} = -\log(0.01) = 2\]Answer: The pH of a \( 0.01 \, \text{M} \) \( \text{HCl} \) solution is \( 2 \). This corresponds to option (1).