Domino is a large set of tiles, normally square or rectangular but sometimes round, with pips (or dots) that indicate their value. Players can use them to play games of skill or chance, such as blockade and scoring. They can also create works of art, such as straight lines or curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, and 3D structures like towers and pyramids. A series of dominoes can also be used as components in mechanical or electronic Rube Goldberg machines.
Dominoes can be used to teach children basic math. For example, they can arrange them in long lines and then tally the total number of dominoes that have fallen over, or even count the number of different colours. This activity can also help children develop their spatial awareness and fine motor skills, as they must carefully place each domino next to its neighbour.
Many people use the term domino to refer to a series of events that begin with one simple action and have much greater-and sometimes catastrophic-consequences. This is the basis of the popular expression “the domino effect”. It can be used to describe a literal series of collisions, or a metaphorical series of causal links within a system such as global finance or politics.
The term can be attributed to the Dominican friars, who in the 14th century developed an early version of the game that became known as domino. The domino was originally a small wood block with pips on the edges, which could be placed one over another to build a row. It was later improved with metal pips and a standard size of 28 squares. The modern game has a variety of rules and variations, but the most common is to set up a line of dominoes in a row, then ‘knock out’ each other by touching one end of a domino with a finger or another piece.
When a domino is knocked out, the player wins the round. The game usually stops when one player cannot play any more dominoes, although some variants require both players to chip out before it ends.
A domino can be used to demonstrate the laws of physics, including the law of conservation of linear momentum. It is also often used to demonstrate a mathematical principle called the inverse square law, whereby an object’s mass increases with the square of its radius.
A domino is also an important component of the chess board, where it is used to mark off squares for rooks and bishops. It is also frequently used as a tool for teaching geometry to young students. Many people find the simplest way to learn about geometric shapes is by using dominoes, as they are easily visible and accessible to everyone. This allows children to focus on the shape of a domino and how it fits with other dominoes, rather than being distracted by a complicated diagram. This makes the learning process fun and engaging for children.