Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice (RDHAP) Law and Ethics Practice Exam

What is the legal definition of "assault" as it relates to physical abuse?

1. A A verbal threat without physical action

2. B Trying to strike a person without actually hitting

3. C Inflicting harm with a weapon

4. D Any harmful touch against an individual

The correct answer is: B Trying to strike a person without actually hitting

The legal definition of "assault" specifically encompasses the act of attempting to inflict harm on another person, which includes trying to strike someone even if the physical contact does not occur. This means that the mere intention to cause fear of imminent harm or the effort to do so can constitute assault. In legal terms, it is recognized that the act of threatening or attempting violence, regardless of whether it is successful, is sufficient to classify as assault. The other choices do not align with the legal definition of assault. A verbal threat alone lacks the necessary physical element involved in assault. Inflicting harm with a weapon pertains more to battery or aggravated assault, emphasizing the actual physical harm caused rather than the attempt. Meanwhile, harmful touch against an individual would fall under battery, which incorporates the completion of the act, rather than the attempt implied in the correct answer.