Domino is a small rectangular wood or plastic block, usually marked with dots resembling those on dice. A domino set contains 28 pieces, and players can play games in which they set up the dominoes in long rows and knock them over. People also use the dominoes for artistic purposes, such as lining them up to create interesting shapes or drawing patterns on them. The individual dominoes are often called bones, cards, tiles, tickets or spinners. The name Domino comes from the Latin word for “falling one by one.”

When a domino is standing upright, it has potential energy, or stored energy based on its position. As soon as you push a domino over, however, much of its potential energy converts to kinetic energy—the energy of motion. This energy travels down the chain, causing the next domino to topple over and then the next and the next until all the dominoes are down.

This process is a bit like how nerve impulses travel down a line of neurons. The speed of the pulse is independent of the size of the triggering domino, and it can only go in one direction. The result is a cascade of new behavior, like Jennifer Dukes Lee’s decision to make her bed every day.

Domino is the smallest piece in a set, but it has a big effect. The company Domino’s used to have a terrible reputation for poor service and high turnover, but former CEO David Brandon made some important changes. He instituted a culture of championing the customer and listened to employee complaints. He even spoke directly to employees to learn what they needed from the company. When Dominic Doyle became CEO, he continued this value.

Now, the company is recognized for its excellent customer service and a commitment to its employees. This line of communication extends to the community as well. One of the ways Domino’s shows this is by hosting a Community Food Drive each year, which collects food for local families in need.

Aside from Domino’s, the domino is a common toy in many homes and schools. Children love to use them to create elaborate drawings or to play games in which they must try to knock over as many dominoes as possible. Some people even make domino art by arranging the dominoes to form pictures or words.

There are endless possibilities for games with dominoes. For example, some people like to build walls of them, while others create intricate designs with them. Creating these structures requires careful planning. First, the artist must decide on a design and choose the right dominoes for it. Some of these designs include straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures, or 3D structures like towers and pyramids.

Once a person has the right dominoes, they must then plan out how to build their structure. They may use paper or a computer program to help them. Then they can begin the construction. The most challenging part is ensuring that all the dominoes fit together perfectly. If a domino is placed in the wrong spot, it can cause the whole system to fail.