A domino is a rectangular piece of flat material, typically twice as long and twice as wide, bearing between one and six pips (or dots) or blanks, used for various games by arranging edge to edge into lines or patterns; when one piece is tapped it triggers an irreversible chain reaction that topples all others pieces in its path.
Dominos provide an interesting metaphor in studying nerve cells or neurons. When one cell receives a message that travels down its axon, it emits an electrical pulse which triggers other cells to fire; these signals move at constant speed with no loss in energy as they travel down their respective paths, just like when one domino causes another one to fall.
The dominoes most frequently seen are constructed out of wood or plastic, although other varieties exist that feature more exotic materials like marble, gold or silver – some even come engraved or painted! A variety of games may use dominoes as dominoes can be used as block or scoring games and solitaire or trick-taking ones; many were once popularly played to circumvent religious prohibitions against using cards.
Other games utilize the classic 28-piece set, shuffled and formed into a stock or boneyard from which players draw tiles as they play. Once drawn, these tiles can be added to either edge-to-edge against another domino or form lines of dominoes against an existing domino; their value determined by adding up both sets of pip count on both sides – “heavy” dominos being defined by exceeding their total value by more than double.
Some larger dominoes are designed for positional games, wherein a player lays each tile directly against its adjacent neighbor to form an ordered sequence. Each domino must be completely covered before adding another tile; completed dominos should have no gaps. When large domino sets are involved, Arabic numerals may make reading the number values easier.
In certain cultures, dominoes have come to symbolize control or power. “Domino” is Latin for “falling,” with each successive domino falling like an avalanche or arch of stones resembling its shape as it hits its target. Dominoes may also serve as symbols of control during tarot card readings and tai chi exercises.
Writing with dominoes as a motif can help us eliminate scenes that do not advance the plot or build enough tension, especially those without detailed outlines or the aid of tools like Scrivener for plot planning. To test a scene out, create multiple falls of it repeatedly until one breaks; observe its behavior during these attempts as well as how easily you can push on it to see where its momentum leads it.