A domino is a flat, thumb-sized rectangular block of wood or another material, with an identifying mark on one side and blank or identically patterned on the other. Each side of the domino features a line that divides it visually into two squares, each bearing from six to eight dots or spots, called “pips.” The total number of pips on either side of a domino is its value.
Traditionally, dominoes are made of silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl or MOP), ivory, or a dark hardwood such as ebony, with contrasting black or white pips. In some sets, a domino’s identifying marks are raised to give the piece more of a 3-D look. Dominoes are also available in polymer or plastic versions that resemble the more traditional European-style dominoes, and some modern sets feature a more streamlined, contemporary look with a smooth surface.
Dominoes are used to play a variety of games, most involving the use of blocks or other pieces that are laid down in lines and angular patterns. The most common type of domino is the double-six set, which contains 28 tiles. Dominoes are usually twice as long as they are wide, making them easy to re-stack after use. The most popular game involving dominoes is Concentration, though other games of a more competitive nature may be played as well. A domino set can be extended by adding ends with more pips than the original, to increase its total number of unique combinations.
In the business world, the word domino has been associated with leadership and innovation. In fact, Domino’s CEO James Doyle has been praised for implementing a series of creative initiatives to revamp the company and make it a leader in food delivery. For example, he worked with crowd-sourced auto designers to create a special, purpose-built Domino’s pizza-delivery vehicle that’s been described as the “cheese lover’s Batmobile.”
More broadly, the term domino can be used metaphorically to describe a chain reaction, or cascade of events, where one event causes the next to occur. The term can even be applied to political events or economic trends, as well as a personal experience, such as the domino effect that occurs when one person’s actions prompt a chain of events that affects the lives of many others.
When a domino falls, much of its potential energy turns into kinetic energy, or motion, and this energy is transmitted to the next domino until it too tips over. This principle is the basis of a well-known scientific theory that describes how a series of dominoes can be knocked over with just one nudge. Physicist Lorne Whitehead demonstrated this principle in 1983 by arranging 13 dominoes on a large table and then pushing the first one over. The resulting chain reaction was enough to knock over the entire row of dominoes, as shown in this video clip. For this reason, the domino effect is sometimes used as a way to illustrate physics principles in classrooms and other educational settings.