Which statement correctly differentiates assault and battery?

• A. Assault is the threat or attempt to commit bodily harm; battery is actual physical contact causing harm.
• B. Assault is physical harm; battery is threat.
• C. Assault requires a weapon; battery does not.
• D. Assault is a property crime; battery is a traffic violation.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that assault and battery describe two different stages of harmful conduct. Assault is the threat or attempt to cause bodily harm, or creating a reasonable belief that harm is imminent. Battery is the actual unlawful physical contact that causes harm or offense.

This distinction matters because you can have assault without any physical touching—the threat or attempted harm itself is enough. Battery, on the other hand, requires that there be actual physical contact that harms or offends the person.

The other statements misstate the relationship: assault does not require a weapon, and it does not require actual harm to occur. It is not a property crime or a traffic violation.