why is the tropopause higher at the equator than at the poles?

Answer 1

Very good question. The clue is in the name. Tropos in Greek means turning. In other words the troposphere is that part of the Earth's atmosphere that turns over due to what? Solar heating! And where is the solar heating on the Earth the greatest? At the equator! Where the heating is the greatest the atmosphere is more active convectively and so the tropopause, the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere (the "layered" region) is pushed higher over the equator than anywhere else on the planet. Hope this helps to explain it a little.

Answer 2

you spell it troposhere...i believe it is because of the shape of the earth which you know is slightly elongated.