Lead acetate paper is utilized to detect which chemical?

Lead acetate paper is specifically designed to detect hydrogen sulfide. When hydrogen sulfide comes into contact with lead acetate, it reacts to form lead sulfide, which is a black precipitate. This visual change indicates the presence of hydrogen sulfide in the environment.

In contrast, the other chemicals listed, such as hydrogen chloride, ammonia, and carbon monoxide, do not produce similar reactions with lead acetate paper. Each of these gases has distinct chemical behaviors and would require different types of detection methods tailored to their specific properties. Therefore, the choice of hydrogen sulfide is based on the unique interaction it has with lead acetate, making lead acetate paper a reliable indicator for detecting this particular compound.