8. Absorption: The majority of absorption occurs in the SI . in the stomach only alcohol & some drugs as aspirin are absorbed. large intestine only water &electrolytes are absorbed. Absorption takes place in the villi & microvilli which increase the surface area of SI by 600 times to make the absorption process very efficient. Water & electrolyte absorption: Either by simple diffusion as water or by active secretion as Na+ & HCO3-. Absorption of H2O is by simple diffusion following the law of osmosis to cause isosmotic equilibrium when ions & nutrients are absorbed. Absorption of Na+ is by active transport from inside the epithelial cells into the intercellular spaces requiring energy supplied by ATPase carrier enzyme in the cell membrane,part of Na+ is absorbed with Cl- while the other is either with K+ or H+ ions transported in the opposite direction in exchange for Na+ helped by aldosterone when there is need for Na+ in the body as in dehydration,