Final answer:
Cinder cones are typically much smaller than shield volcanoes. Shield volcanoes, like Mauna Loa and Olympus Mons, are among the largest volcanic structures due to their broad and massive shields that result from low viscosity lava flows.
Step-by-step explanation:
In response to the question regarding the size of cinder cones compared to shield volcanoes, it is important to clarify that in general, cinder cones are smaller than shield volcanoes. Typical cinder cones, composed of smaller volcanic fragments called agglomerates, are less than a few hundred meters tall. On the other hand, shield volcanoes like Mauna Loa on Hawaii are some of the largest volcanoes on Earth. For instance, Mauna Loa's diameter is more than 100 kilometers and it rises 9 kilometers above the ocean floor. Furthermore, on planets like Mars, stationary crustal plates enable the growth of exceptionally large shield volcanoes such as Olympus Mons, which surpasses any volcano on Earth in size. However, it's worth noting that the largest volcano on Venus, Sif Mons, which is 500 kilometers in width and has a 40-kilometer-wide caldera, would also be classified as a shield volcano.