zhaini
Instead of 'potential', might you mean 'tensile'?
If so, and you're talking about reinforced concrete, then the main diffeence is this. As Bannu has explained, flexural cracking happens only in the tension zone of a bending member such as a beam, so it only goes maybe half way through the concrete. The other half is in compression and is not cracked. But tensile cracking may occur in reinforced concrete in tension rather than bending. This may have cracks all the way through, which could have implications for durability or leaking.
rich