Final answer:
Water has a high heat capacity that helps regulate Earth's climate, unlike carbon dioxide and methane which contribute to the greenhouse effect and climate change.
Step-by-step explanation:
Because of its very high heat capacity, water acts as a powerful control on Earth's global climate. Water has a unique ability to absorb and store heat, which allows it to regulate temperature changes both in the environment and within organisms. This property is crucial for maintaining the climate balance and makes it distinct from other substances like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen, which also play roles in Earth's climate system but in different ways.
Carbon dioxide, while less effective per molecule at trapping heat than water vapor, is a significant greenhouse gas due to its abundance and persistence in the atmosphere. It allows shortwave radiation from the sun to enter but prevents long-wave radiation from escaping into space, thus contributing to the greenhouse effect and climate change. Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but it is present in much lower concentrations and has a shorter atmospheric lifespan.