Which act involves actual harmful physical contact?

The act that involves actual harmful physical contact is battery. Battery is defined as the unlawful and intentional use of force against another person, which results in physical harm or offensive contact. It goes beyond just the threat of violence or harm; there must be a tangible action that causes injury or offensive touching.

In contrast, assault refers to the act of threatening or attempting to cause harm, which does not require physical contact but creates a reasonable fear in the victim. Negligence involves a failure to exercise reasonable care, resulting in unintentional harm to another person, but again does not involve intentional harmful contact. False imprisonment concerns the unlawful restriction of a person's freedom of movement, which does not necessarily involve physical contact or injury. Thus, battery is the appropriate term for acts involving direct harmful physical contact.