The Domino Effect
If you’ve ever watched a domino rally, the line of pieces that cascade over one another in a rhythmic pattern, you’ve experienced the phenomenon known as “the Domino Effect.” It’s an example of a single action having much greater—and sometimes catastrophic—consequences than expected. The same principle is at work when writing a novel, and considering the domino effect can help you create a compelling storyline.
Although the term “domino” is used for a specific game, these little squares of wood have many uses. Children enjoy stacking them in long lines. They can also be arranged to make intricate designs, and they’re often used as building blocks. But the most important use of domino is as a tool for learning and creativity. The fact that they’re so small makes them easy to grasp, and their recognizable markings and patterns encourage creative play.
Dominoes, which are sometimes called bones, cards, tiles, stones, spinners, or tickets, come in various colors and are marked with a specific arrangement of spots or pips on one side. The pips allow players to identify individual dominoes, which can then be used to form lines of play and other shapes. There are numerous types of domino sets in use all over the world, with different rules for playing them.
Most domino games are played with a standard set of 28 tiles. The most common are blocking and scoring games. Each player takes a turn placing a domino edge to edge with an adjacent one, with the pips on the open end matching those on the closed end. The player making the first play is called the setter, downer, or lead.
Once a domino is stood up, it begins to accumulate energy from gravity and other forces, which is called potential energy. When a domino is tipped over, the energy in it changes to kinetic energy, which causes the next domino in line to tip, and so on, creating a chain reaction that eventually leads to the entire group of dominoes falling over. This type of energy change is called a mechanical reaction.
A physics professor at the University of Toronto explains that standing up a domino, as opposed to lying down, gives it potential energy based on its position. When the domino falls, much of this energy is converted to kinetic energy as it moves downward.
When you begin a game of domino, the number of dominoes you have is called your hand. When all the tiles have been shuffled and drawn, the player with the highest double (or highest single) takes the first turn, or play, if there’s a tie. You may also draw a new hand, depending on the rules of the particular game being played.
The most basic domino set consists of only 22 tiles with the same pattern on each end, but there are a variety of extensions that increase this number by adding additional pips to some or all of the ends. Normally, only two or three pips are added to each end to make a double or single. Larger sets are possible, but most of these are rarely used because a lot more than four people would be needed to play them.
If you’ve ever watched a domino rally, the line of pieces that cascade over one another in a rhythmic pattern, you’ve experienced the phenomenon known as “the Domino Effect.” It’s an example of a single action having much greater—and sometimes catastrophic—consequences than expected. The same principle is at work when writing a novel, and considering the domino effect can help you create a compelling storyline. Although the term “domino” is used for a specific game, these little squares of wood have many uses. Children enjoy stacking them in long lines. They can also be arranged to make intricate designs, and they’re often used as building blocks. But the most important use of domino is as a tool for learning and creativity. The fact that they’re so small makes them easy to grasp, and their recognizable markings and patterns encourage creative play. Dominoes, which are sometimes called bones, cards, tiles, stones, spinners, or tickets, come in various colors and are marked with a specific arrangement of spots or pips on one side. The pips allow players to identify individual dominoes, which can then be used to form lines of play and other shapes. There are numerous types of domino sets in use all over the world, with different rules for playing them. Most domino games are played with a standard set of 28 tiles. The most common are blocking and scoring games. Each player takes a turn placing a domino edge to edge with an adjacent one, with the pips on the open end matching those on the closed end. The player making the first play is called the setter, downer, or lead. Once a domino is stood up, it begins to accumulate energy from gravity and other forces, which is called potential energy. When a domino is tipped over, the energy in it changes to kinetic energy, which causes the next domino in line to tip, and so on, creating a chain reaction that eventually leads to the entire group of dominoes falling over. This type of energy change is called a mechanical reaction. A physics professor at the University of Toronto explains that standing up a domino, as opposed to lying down, gives it potential energy based on its position. When the domino falls, much of this energy is converted to kinetic energy as it moves downward. When you begin a game of domino, the number of dominoes you have is called your hand. When all the tiles have been shuffled and drawn, the player with the highest double (or highest single) takes the first turn, or play, if there’s a tie. You may also draw a new hand, depending on the rules of the particular game being played. The most basic domino set consists of only 22 tiles with the same pattern on each end, but there are a variety of extensions that increase this number by adding additional pips to some or all of the ends. Normally, only two or three pips are added to each end to make a double or single. Larger sets are possible, but most of these are rarely used because a lot more than four people would be needed to play them.