What is a common element in all examples of assaults mentioned?

The correct answer highlights the fundamental characteristic that distinguishes assault from other types of offenses: it involves a physical attack. In legal terms, assault does not necessarily require that the victim suffers serious harm or that a weapon is used. It can encompass a wide range of behaviors, from a threat of violence to actual physical contact, as long as there is an intention to cause harm or fear.

While serious harm, motives such as revenge, and the use of a weapon can sometimes be present in certain incidents of assault, they are not prerequisites for classifying an act as an assault. The essence of assault lies in the physicality of the attack or the intention behind it, making this option the most universally applicable characteristic across various scenarios of assault.