What number when divided in half becomes zero?

What is the next number in this matchsticks series riddle?

If in a car race, the man who came two places in front of the last man finished one ahead of the man who came fifth, how many contestants were there?

When I go in I might cause pain. I cause you to spit and ask you not to swallow. I can fill your hole. What am I?

A man was gazing through the window of the 23rd floor of the building. He suddenly opened the window and jumped on the other side of the window. On landing on the floor, there was not a sheer mark of injury on him.

How can that be possible if he did not use any kind of parachute and did not land on a soft surface?

One is to three as three is to five and five is to four and four is the magic number.
What is the pattern?

Mr. Buttons was all set to go to the village of Buttonland to meet his friend. So, he packed his bags and left for the village at 5 in the morning. Upon travelling on a road for miles, he came across a point where the road diverged into two. He was confused on which road to take. He gazed around and he saw two owls sitting on a branch. He thought he could ask for directions for the village from the two owls. So he went to the tree. There he saw a sign which read, "One owl always lies, and one is always truthful. They both fly away if you ask them more than 1 question."
Mr. Buttons was caught in the dilemma of what to ask? And from which owl to ask, since he only had one question. What should Mr. Buttons ask?

Bay of Bengal is in which state?

Which country gets ill every time?

John was so frustrated to be the suspect of being a sleeper terrorist that he shoot himself right between the eyes with a revolver in his toilet. The revolver and the bullets were accurate. Minutes later John walks out of the toilet unharmed.
How can this be possible?