What is the Domino Effect?
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Dominoes are black and white pieces that can be lined up in long rows to create a chain reaction. Some people like to play games with them, while others use them to build structures. Some children also love to toss them around and watch them fall, one after the other.
Today’s WONDER of the Day was inspired by Juan, who asked, “What is the Domino Effect?”
The domino effect occurs when one change in behavior triggers a chain reaction and causes a shift in related behaviors. For example, when Jennifer Dukes Lee began making her bed every morning, she started committing to this new habit in other areas of her home as well. This is a great example of the Domino Effect because it shows that when one small change leads to another, the results are often unexpected.
In a domino game, players take turns playing a domino onto the table. The domino must touch the end of a previous tile and must have a number showing at both ends. If a domino is unable to be played, it is “knocked” and the player passes turn to the next player. Play continues until all the players have used up their tiles. The players who have the fewest tiles at this point are declared winners.
Dominoes are a popular toy for children, but they are also used in a wide variety of games and for educational purposes. Some of these games involve positioning dominoes to make certain shapes, while others require the players to arrange them in specific ways. The rules of these games vary, but all involve a certain amount of skill and timing.
There are many different types of dominoes, but the most common type is the double-twelve set (91 tiles). There are also larger sets called “extended” because they have more pips on one end than the regular double-twelve. The most common extended domino sets are the double-nine and the double-15.
The origin of the word “domino” is unclear. It may be a corruption of the Spanish word for “cards,” or it could be related to the French word for hooded cloaks worn at carnival time or at masquerade balls. In any case, the earliest recorded uses of the word date back to the mid-18th century.
Although the word domino has several meanings, it is best known as a gaming device that allows players to compete against each other by constructing lines of falling pieces called dominoes. The pieces in a domino set are called “dominoes,” but they are sometimes referred to as bones, cards, tiles, stones, spinners, or tickets. Normally, dominoes have a number of small black and white squares on them that are called pips. These pips are used to identify each piece. Most dominoes have the same pips on all four sides, but some have a different pattern on each side. Some dominoes have Arabic numerals instead of pips, and large sets have more readable numbers to make it easier to identify the pieces.