ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Weyl's lemma (Laplace equation)

Imagine you are playing with playdough on a table. When you press down on it with a cookie cutter, it leaves an indentation or mark on the playdough. In the same way, when you have a solution to a math problem called a Laplace equation, you can use Weyl's lemma to figure out how fast that solution changes between any two points in the problem.

Weyl's lemma helps us understand the Laplace equation by telling us that if we have a solution that changes very slowly between two points, then it must be very close to being a flat surface between those points.

Think of a flat piece of paper as a surface, and imagine that you want to fold it such that it creates a particular shape. If you make a fold that is very gradual or gentle, the paper will be mostly flat between the two points of the fold. However, if you make a sharp crease, the paper will have a more noticeable change in height between the two points of the crease.

In the same way, the Laplace equation describes how one variable like temperature or pressure changes from one point to another. Weyl's lemma helps us understand the shape of the surface that these changes are happening on. If the solution changes very slowly between two points, it must be almost flat, while if the changes are happening quickly, the surface is likely more curved or bumpy.

This idea is important because we can use it to understand the behavior of different physical systems, like how heat or electricity moves through materials. By using Weyl's lemma and the Laplace equation, we can make predictions about how these systems will behave, and design better technologies to control such systems.