Domino is a game in which players place dominoes (also called bones, pieces, men, cards or tiles) on end in long lines. When one domino is tipped over, it triggers the next domino in line to tip over and so on until all the dominoes have fallen. The beauty of a well-designed domino set is that even the smallest domino can generate enough energy to topple much larger ones. Today’s Wonder of the Day explores how this works, thanks to physics.
Many different kinds of domino games exist, but most involve placing tile with a number of dots on one side and marking the pips on the other. Players then draw dominoes from a deck, and play begins. The goal is to make a row of matching dominoes before your opponents. The first player to do this wins the round.
Traditionally, dominoes have been made of various natural materials such as bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother-of-pearl), ivory or dark woods such as ebony. These natural materials are more expensive than their polymer counterparts, but they have a more appealing look and feel to them. Most modern domino sets are made of a composite plastic material such as melamine.
In addition to the standard 28-piece set of dominoes, some people enjoy building complex domino structures that can be viewed from all sides. Some of these displays are used as decorative items in homes or businesses. Others are exhibited in museums or other public buildings.
Domino is a fun family activity and it can be played with friends or just two people. A domino set usually includes a deck of 28 tiles with black and white pips, although there are also some sets with colored pips that add a decorative element to the game.
The maximum number of unique combinations of ends is limited to four, and this is why many people use a larger double-twelve (91 tiles) or double-nine (55 tiles) domino set when playing with more than two people. However, some people create “extended” domino sets by adding additional tiles with more pips on the ends.
While the idiom domino effect refers to political events, this principle can be applied to other situations as well. For example, a small trigger can start a chain reaction that ultimately leads to much larger consequences.
When creating her mind-blowing domino setups, artist Hevesh follows a variation of the engineering-design process. She starts by considering the theme or purpose of her design and brainstorming images or words that could help her convey that message.
She then considers the physical laws that will allow her to achieve her goals. For example, gravity is a crucial factor in her most elaborate domino setups because it pulls the first domino toward the ground and helps push other dominoes over. Depending on the complexity of the project, she may need to spend days or weeks on just one part of the design. If she is satisfied with the final result, it is well worth the effort.