Dominoes are a small rectangular game piece with spots or pips (also called dots) on one side, ranging in number from 0 to 6 on each end. They are used in a variety of games.

The domino effect is the idea that a single action can cause a cascade of similar actions. It is a common metaphor that can be used to explain how certain events lead to others, such as the way Communism spread through Vietnam.

This concept was first introduced by political columnist John Alsop in the 1960s, and became known as the “domino effect.” Today, it is a widely used idiom to describe any situation in which a single action triggers another action that leads to more complex, often disastrous, outcomes.

A domino is a black, rectangular, and sometimes squared block with a line in the middle that divides it into two equal parts. The bottom of a domino’s tile will be recessed into the ground, while the top is flat. The pips or spots on the ends of a domino are marked by numbers ranging from 6 to none, with the lower number usually listed first.

Many people use dominoes to play games, such as layout and blocking. These games involve laying down tiles that have matching values, and players can score by creating certain configurations.

Some games can be very complex, requiring knowledge of a wide variety of rules. There are also some very simple domino games, such as a double-deck game in which players must lay down a tile that matches the value on an opponent’s hand.

These types of games can be played on a table, board or any other surface that will allow the dominoes to stand up. It is important to play on a hard surface, as standing on soft carpet or a floor can be difficult for dominoes to hold up on.

There are several types of dominoes, including a standard “double-six” set and sets with smaller numbers or no pips. The most commonly-used dominoes have a line in the middle that divides them into two equal parts. The number of pips on each side is referred to as the “value” or “rank” of the domino, and can range from six pips to none.

Physicist Stephen Morris, who studies the effects of gravity on dominoes, says that standing a domino upright gives it potential energy, or stored energy based on its position. But when a domino falls, much of that potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, or energy of motion.

This change in energy causes a domino to fall down, which sends it falling down again and again, until a chain reaction is complete. The dominoes tumble along a row of other dominoes until the whole line is toppled.

A domino artist uses the laws of physics to create spectacular displays that take many minutes to collapse into a pile. Lily Hevesh’s videos of her projects, which include a Guinness World Record for the most dominoes toppled in a circular arrangement, have more than 2 million views on YouTube.