Final answer:
Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) will form the most intensely colored 0.01 M aqueous solution due to the presence of the colorful permanganate ion. Other compounds mentioned lack the electronic transitions that contribute to intense coloring in solutions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The compound that will form the most intensely colored 0.01 M aqueous solution out of the given options is potassium permanganate (KMnO4). This is due to the presence of the permanganate ion (MnO₄⁻) which is a strong oxidizer and known for its deep purple color in solutions. The color results from charge transfer transitions, as well as d-d electronic transitions within the metal ion. Compounds like KClO4, KAl(SO4)2, and KI do not exhibit intense color due to the lack of these types of transitions. For example, KI in an aqueous solution is relatively colorless, although it may turn yellow upon degradation due to the formation of iodine (I2).
KMnO4 also plays a role in various chemical reactions such as titrations. For example, when titrating oxalic acid (H₂C₂O4) with a solution of KMnO4, the change in color of the KMnO4 solution can be used to indicate the endpoint of the titration.