Dominos are rectangular pieces of wood or plastic marked with an arrangement of dots, called pips, on one side. The other side is blank or identically patterned. They come in sets that contain a number of dominoes, and each set has a distinct domino color that allows players to identify their pieces. The pieces can be arranged in two ways: a line of dominoes touching at their ends, or a stack on its edge. A single domino has potential energy based on its position; as it falls, much of this energy is converted to kinetic energy and pushes the next domino. In a chain reaction, these kinetic energy waves travel down the line as they would nerve impulses in the brain.
Dominoes can be played alone or in groups, and games range from simple to complex. They can be arranged into patterns and lines, or used to build structures like towers and arches. Many people enjoy playing with them because they stimulate the brain and require problem-solving skills. They also provide an opportunity for social interaction. Some games involve scoring points by laying tiles end to end; the tiles must match at their touching ends (i.e., one’s touch two’s) and the exposed pips must total a multiple of five. Other games include a race to the top by adding pieces in sequence, or by building pyramids or structures.
Most domino games are characterized as blocking games, in which players place dominoes to block an opposing player from making a move. The most basic Western dominoes are double six and double nine, but larger sets exist that add pips to the edges of the pieces to create more unique configurations. Each pips-limited domino has a suit, and the highest piece in that suit wins when played first.
The science of dominoes is quite fascinating, and physics plays a big role. Hevesh works hard to plan out her creations before she begins, and she uses several methods to ensure that each piece will fall exactly where she wants it to. She even films her work in slow motion to pinpoint errors or problems. Despite her meticulous preparation, some of Hevesh’s largest installations take several nail-biting minutes to complete.
Hevesh’s work demonstrates that in addition to planning carefully, it is important to stick to the company’s values and prioritize the customer. This commitment extends to employee relations. She is careful to listen to her employees’ feedback and respond promptly.
For writers, the concept of the domino effect is an important one to keep in mind. If your scenes aren’t working together to build tension, or if one scene has little logical impact on the next, you may need to rethink how you structure your story. Consider using a scene map or other tool like Scrivener to help you plot ahead of time, and use the domino image as inspiration for your writing. This way, you can create a dynamic chain of scenes that naturally impact each other.