Beam

Beam refers to a construction element in buildings. Primarily constructed of steel, it serves as a support element for transferring vertical, most often gravitational, forces to walls or pillars which in turn transfers the force downwards. Many types of beams exist, and a common way to distinguish between types are by profile[?], the shape of a cross section of the beam. One of the most common type of beam is the I-beam[?], commonly used for support in steel frame buildings such as houses and bridges.

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Beam also refers to a wave of light.