Domino is a term that refers to a small rectangular wooden or plastic block with a number of spots on each side. The dots are called pips and they can be of any color or pattern, although most sets have white pips and black edges. The most common dominoes commercially available are double six and double nine with larger sets containing many more tiles. They can be used for a wide variety of games. The most popular type of play is a layout game, in which players place dominoes edge to edge so that they form a specified total. There are two basic types of layout games, blocking and scoring.
Despite the fact that dominoes are simple, they can be used to create intricate displays and structures. A domino artist named Hevesh has created designs involving up to 300,000 dominoes. She says that the key to her impressive works is physics. Hevesh says that gravity is the main force that makes her dominoes fall. When a domino is standing upright, it has potential energy, or stored energy that depends on its position. But when the domino is knocked over, this potential energy changes to kinetic energy, or the energy of motion.
When the first domino is knocked over, it sets off a chain reaction that causes domino after domino to fall. This is like the firing of a neuron, and it explains why dominoes can create such stunning designs.
In the early days of Domino’s, Tom Monaghan took advantage of the Domino Effect by locating his pizza restaurants near college campuses. This helped the company grow quickly and establish a solid reputation for fast delivery. But in the late 1990s, the company faced a critical juncture. The company experienced leadership turmoil and fell into financial crisis. By 2004, it was in more than $943 million debt, and its stock was trading below $2 a share.
Technology has played a big role in Domino’s turnaround, and it is now the company’s core business. The company has introduced new ways to order pizza, including texting and Amazon Echo devices. It is also experimenting with drone delivery.
As of this writing, Domino’s has more than 11,000 locations in the United States and around the world. This includes nearly 600 franchises and more than 2,200 international locations. It has more than 130,000 employees worldwide.
In addition to its pizza-delivery operations, Domino’s is a significant employer of workers in manufacturing and information technology, as well as construction. The company’s headquarters are in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
In the past, domino sets were made of woods, such as birch and oak; other materials, such as ivory, mother-of-pearl, and ebony; metals, such as brass and pewter; and even ceramic clay. Today, domino sets are often made of polymer, which is lightweight and durable. However, there are still some sets made of natural materials. For example, some sets have a surface in bone or silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl, MOP), while others are made from a dark hardwood such as ebony. These sets can be more expensive but offer a unique look and feel.