The potential difference generated by the cell, when connected to a conducting circuit element, sets charges in motion, initiating an electric current.

A potential difference is created by a battery, composed of one or more electric cells. Chemical action within the cell generates this potential difference.

Gravity plays no role in the flow of electric charges in a metallic wire. Electrons move within a conductor only in response to an electric potential difference, or voltage, along the conductor.

The analogy is the flow of water. Just as water needs a pressure difference to flow, charges in a copper wire flow only with an electric potential difference.

Initially, electric current was considered the flow of positive charges. Conventionally, in metallic wire circuits, the direction is opposite to the flow of electrons, which are negative charges.