Beam (structure)

A beam is like a big stick that's really strong and can hold up things like a house or a bridge. Imagine drawing a line in the air with your finger; now make that line really long and straight. That's kind of what a beam looks like. Beams are usually made of a strong material like wood, concrete, or steel. When engineers use beams to build things like buildings or bridges, they have to make sure the beam is the right size and shape so it can hold all the weight without bending or breaking. It's kind of like building a tower out of blocks - you have to make sure the blocks are stacked in the right way so they don't fall down. Beams come in all different sizes and shapes depending on what they're holding up, and that's why engineers have to be super smart to make sure everything stays safe and secure.