Domino (also known as Domino’s) is a brand name for an American restaurant chain. Domino is a word that means “slippery” or “easy to fall over,” and can also be used metaphorically to describe a chain reaction of events. It is a play on the word domino effect, which describes an event that sets off a series of similar or related events.
Domino is a game of chance and skill that involves falling blocks or tiles on a surface, either on a table or the floor. The most common dominoes have a line dividing their face into two square ends, with each end bearing an arrangement of dots or pips similar to those on dice. These two ends are called a double-six set, although other shapes and sizes of pieces exist. The back of each piece is blank or has a pattern that matches the pips on the front.
A domino set has one unique piece for every combination of two end points with a value between zero and six. This totals 28 pieces, and each domino can belong to two suits — one of which features all the pips from one to six, and the other featuring all the pips except six. These suit distinctions allow for a variety of games to be played.
When a domino falls, it transforms some of its potential energy into kinetic energy, the energy of motion, and this energy travels to the next domino, giving it the push it needs to topple itself. This continues on through the entire chain, until the last domino is knocked over.
Dominos are a great way to teach children the principles of science, such as momentum and gravity. They can also help teach social skills, such as patience and teamwork. They can even be used to teach math, by having students count the number of spots on each domino.
Many popular domino shows feature builders constructing complex and imaginative domino effects or reactions before live audiences of fans. These displays are a type of entertainment, and they often incorporate themes or messages that promote positive values, such as family unity or personal responsibility.
Hevesh prepares for a domino show by first planning the theme and purpose of her installation, then brainstorming images or words that might be represented by the pieces she uses. She also makes test versions of each section of the set to ensure that it works well. She films these tests in slow motion, so that she can make precise corrections before putting the final arrangement together.
When writing fiction, Hevesh suggests thinking of each scene in the story as a domino. Each domino represents a plot beat that advances the action of the story, and all the scene dominos work together to build toward the climax.
The key is to find a balance of scene dominoes that will produce the desired effect, and then to put them in a proper order for smooth movement through the story. Getting all the scene dominoes in a row is crucial to creating a story that builds and flows smoothly until it reaches its final climax.