Dominoes are small rectangular blocks used as gaming objects. Also referred to as bones, cards, men or pieces. Dominoes typically measure two times longer than they are wide for easy re-stacking after use. Each domino features one or more square ends which display its value with dots or numbers; open ends are called free; while sealed ones are considered sealed.
Domino players have found many unique games using these simple yet versatile building blocks. Some require great skill while others rely on pure random chance; no matter the rules of any particular game, dominoes are fun and educational at the same time!
When a domino falls, its energy from potential is released as it travels along its line until all is used up, much like how a nerve impulse travels down its length.
As one domino falls, its energy transforms to kinetic energy that transfers to subsequent dominoes that it hits, pushing over multiple more. As this cycle continues down the line, dominoes become progressively entangled and harder to move until all their kinetic energy has been consumed and all of their pieces topple over. When finally depleted, all dominoes crash together.
Many of the most popular domino games involve positioning tiles so their adjacent faces match or form some other specified total. When a player can no longer make a play, they “knock,” or rap on the table to indicate this and allow their fellow players to decide whether or not to continue with playing or stop completely.
Creative domino setups often feature dominoes arranged in alphabetic letters and numbers, or letters and numbers themselves. Artists who create such intricate domino sets follow an adaptation of the engineering-design process when crafting these masterpieces; first considering a theme or purpose for their design before brainstorming images and words that represent it.
Most domino sets today are typically constructed from polymeric materials like clay or plastic; however, historically and in certain cultures dominoes were typically crafted using materials such as silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or dark hardwoods such as ebony. These sets typically possess more luxurious looks and feels compared to polymer ones and tend to be more costly; sometimes these sets were even handcrafted using natural materials such as marble and granite; soapstone; metals; ceramic clay which makes these sets even rarer; finally some were even constructed out of transparent materials such as glass and crystal.