One way to help you understand the difference between traditional tobacco cigarettes vs. e-cigs is to explain to you the composition of each. This will also give you some clue as to how one works versus the other, and/or the advantages or disadvantages of each.
Regular cigarettes have a filter that is made of cellulose. This is a product that comes from trees. The use of this type of filter first became very popular in the 1960s when word was out how tobacco smoking leads to lung cancer.
After the filtered cigarette came out then came the light cigarette. This one is one that has tiny holes in it to help dilute the concentrate of smoke that is inhaled.
However, over the years it was determined that the creation of lights and filters was not a good enough answer. Often what would happen is people would just smoke more of them or breathe deeper when smoking them.
By the way, the tobacco used in regular cigarettes is processed with numerous additives and chemicals. You are probably shocked as most people are to find out there is even substance such as arsenic or ammonia in cigarettes.
This leads to a different solution. The composition of e-cigs is explained below.
A nicotine solution is present within the filter of the e-cig. It is processed into the top part of the electronic smoking device where the atomizer is located. There is a rechargeable batter which also is usually present in the tip of an e-cig unit.
An e-cig is typically two parts with the atomizer and battery in one section and the nicotine solution in the other (the mouthpiece part). However, sometimes the electronic components and battery are separated from the atomizer, and the e-cig is in three parts.
Oftentimes electronic cigarettes (mainly for the fun of it) are designed so that they light up when a person takes a puff. Often an orange light is activated at the tip in one that is designed like a regular cigarette and a colored light might be activated in one that is of a more contemporary design.
The nicotine solution has far less toxins in it than regular cigarettes. Usually it is made of a glycerin or other common food additive base (i.e. propylene glycol).
Common flavorings added include these: coffee, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, cherry, or strawberry. Other ones are made to mimic the taste of a popular cigarette brand or type of tobacco.