What term refers to the physical act of committing a crime?

The term that refers to the physical act of committing a crime is "actus reus." This term is a Latin phrase that translates to "guilty act," and it encompasses the actions or conduct that constitute a criminal offense. In legal terms, for an individual to be found guilty of a crime, there must be evidence of actus reus—meaning there needs to be a concrete action or behavior that violates the law.

Mens rea, on the other hand, refers to the mental state or intention behind committing a crime, which is crucial for establishing culpability, but it does not pertain to the actual act itself. A felony is a classification of serious crimes that often involve significant harm or threat to others, while malice aforethought refers to the intention to kill or inflict serious harm, typically associated with murder charges. Actus reus is thus a fundamental aspect of criminal law, as it indicates that a person not only had the intention to commit a crime but also took the necessary steps to carry it out.