Domino is a small rectangular game piece with anywhere from zero to six dots on each side. It is used in the game of dominoes, in which it is matched against other dominoes with identical numbers of dots. The ends of the dominoes are then placed against each other to form lines and angular patterns. The dominoes are then knocked down, and the first domino can cause hundreds and even thousands of others to fall as a consequence. This phenomenon is often referred to as the domino effect.
A well-known example of the domino effect is the collapse of the Twin Towers in 2001. This chain reaction was caused by the initial removal of a single floor from one tower, which then allowed the removal of other floors. This caused the rest of the building to become unstable, and the entire structure fell over. This was a clear example of the domino effect, as the original event was only a minor disruption that caused a major disaster.
Another example of the domino effect is a single person falling into a river, and in turn creating a waterfall that overtakes many more people. This is often referred to as the ripple effect, and it occurs in nature all the time, and it is also used as an analogy for certain types of social change, such as protests or revolutions.
The name Domino may refer to:
A domino is a flat, thumbsized, rectangular game piece that can have either blank or numbered sides, with anywhere from zero to six pips (dots). The pips are usually inlaid and painted, but they can be engraved or printed as well. A domino can be made from a variety of materials, including bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, and ebony. Traditionally, European domino sets were made of such material because of their durability and appearance; in particular, they were usually made with the top half thickness in MOP or ivory, and the bottom in a dark hardwood such as ebony. Other materials that have been used to make dominoes include metal, such as brass or pewter; ceramic clay; and even frosted glass. More recently, polymer-based materials such as plastic have become more common for domino sets.