Dominoes, cousins of playing cards and a variation on dice, are versatile tools for many different games and tests of skill. From professional domino competition to simply lining them up and knocking them over, the pieces can have many uses. Today’s Wonder of the Day explores what happens when one simple action leads to much bigger consequences—an action known as the domino effect.
In a game of domino, a player places one piece on the edge of another so that their markings match or overlap. These markings are called pips and they represent the results of throwing a die or the values of a number or combination of numbers on the other side of the domino. The identifying marks on each domino are alternately black and white.
The first domino is tipped ever-so-slightly, and as it falls, it causes the next to tip in a rhythmic sequence until all the pieces fall. This type of sequence is also known as a “domino construction.” The term “domino effect” describes any event that creates a chain reaction of similar events.
While dominoes are used for games, they can also be arranged to make art. Artists can design straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, and even 3D structures like towers and pyramids. Some artists also use their designs to teach children about geometry and balance.
When designing a domino track, an artist must consider the amount of energy that will be needed to push the pieces over. For example, a long line of small dominoes will require more energy to knock over than a short line of large ones. The artist must also take into account how far the dominoes will stretch and if they will be in contact with each other for the entire track.
The most common domino sets contain 28 pieces, although some are made with more or less than this number. The majority of the tiles have a white background with black or colored pips. Some sets have the dominoes’ identifying marks on only one face, while others have both faces labeled. The most common pips are the number one, two, three, four, and five. Other pips include six, seven, eight, nine, and zero.
The name Domino has maintained its authoritative undertones in modern times. It is often used as a first name, and it has also been adopted by businesses, organizations, and products that want to convey a sense of leadership and expertise. The company Domino’s Pizza, for example, takes pride in the fact that its leaders are trained and experienced to ensure a consistent delivery of quality.