Elements are required components. You can think of elements as ingredients. Without those ingredients we do not have that type of food.
Or you can think of elements as you would chemical equations. Water requires two-parts hydrogen and one-part oxygen. If we have only one part hydrogen we do not have water.
By way of example, the elements of a contract are an offer, acceptance, and consideration. If there is no consideration, we do not have a contract because one of the required components is missing.
Elements of a contract
