It might help you to understand the way electricity works by considering the water analogy.
Water flows through a pipe or along a river only when there is a pressure difference between the ends of the pipe or river. The weight of water in a tank at a high level will force water through the pipe into another tank until the surface of the water is at the same level in both tanks. When the difference in hieght is large the pressure difference is large and water flow fast. As the difference reduces then the flow slows down.
Water pressure is the voltage in electricity. How fast the water flows is the current and how difficult it is for water to flow through the pipe is the resistance.
For an element to heat there must be current flow and for current to flow there must be a voltage difference so in the oven when the element is heating the ends of the element must be at different voltages ( the potential difference ). In the oven one end will be live ( 230 volts above ground ) and the other end neutral ( about the same as ground ) give a potential difference of 230 volts which will force the current through the element.
Water flows through a pipe or along a river only when there is a pressure difference between the ends of the pipe or river. The weight of water in a tank at a high level will force water through the pipe into another tank until the surface of the water is at the same level in both tanks. When the difference in hieght is large the pressure difference is large and water flow fast. As the difference reduces then the flow slows down.
Water pressure is the voltage in electricity. How fast the water flows is the current and how difficult it is for water to flow through the pipe is the resistance.
For an element to heat there must be current flow and for current to flow there must be a voltage difference so in the oven when the element is heating the ends of the element must be at different voltages ( the potential difference ). In the oven one end will be live ( 230 volts above ground ) and the other end neutral ( about the same as ground ) give a potential difference of 230 volts which will force the current through the element.
