A domino is a flat, thumbsized rectangular block of wood or other material, usually bearing from one to six dots (or pips) on each face, and is used in games for scoring points by laying pieces end to end with their exposed ends matching. A full set of dominoes has 28 such pieces and can be arranged in lines or angular patterns. The term is also used for any of the various games played with such pieces, including blocking games such as bergen and muggins, which score points by counting the number of pips in a losing player’s hand.
When you set up a row of dominoes in a line, it’s hard to resist giving it a push. But the force that knocks over the first domino is much smaller than you might expect. This is because each domino has inertia, a tendency to stay put when no outside force is pushing or pulling on it. In fact, it takes a great deal of energy to overcome inertia and get a domino moving.
To get the domino effect, you need to apply forces that are greater than the inertia of a single domino, and even more energy to get it moving through a long line. But when you do, the potential energy that stored in the first domino converts to kinetic energy, and some of it is transmitted to the next domino, providing the push needed to knock it over as well. The energy is passed on, domino by domino, until the last domino falls.
Hevesh builds these mind-blowing domino creations using a process similar to the engineering-design process used in industry, which involves considering the theme or purpose of an installation, brainstorming images or words that might go with it, and then testing out different configurations until she finds a design that works. But the process also requires a lot of patience, as each domino must be carefully placed and lined up in just the right place so that when it falls, all the pieces behind it will fall into place.
The domino effect can be used in fiction to help writers develop a story. When creating a plot, ask yourself whether your scenes logically connect, and do your characters’ goals shift as their emotional beats indicate they should? Plotting a story can feel like putting down a row of dominoes: Each scene must fit precisely with the one before it.
In addition to bricks, stones, and wood, Domino’s is now experimenting with different materials for its sets, such as frosted glass and crystal. This can create a unique look and feel to the sets, while also helping them better stand out in stores. It can also provide more opportunities for expansion, as the company looks to tap into new markets beyond its traditional eat-in dining model.