4. Physicochemical Properties of Water and Its role in Earth

As explained earlier, the earth is a "planet of water" in which the existence o f large vol-ume of water made occurrence and evolution of life posslble. This f act is closely related to the properties of water shown in Table 1 . As can be seen from this table, water is formlng and adjusting the global environment thr ough adjustment and control of grand physicochemical processes.

As summarized in Table 2, water Is utilized extensively for survival of human b eings and various life forms. As shown on this table, the majority of precipita tion on the continent is lost as evapotranspiration but gives life to natural a nd managed vegetation that pro-duces and supplies vital energy to the natural e cosystem and human society in the process. In addition, the water which is lost in the form of evapotranspiration from the continent