Formation

• Cinder cones form when lava flows from a vent, or hole, in the Earth's surface, forming ash that builds up to form the volcano. Scientists refer to this falling ash as cinders, which gives this type of volcano its name.
  
  

Appearance

• Cinder cones generally feature steep slopes that form a conical mountain, with a noticeable crater that gives the volcano a flat shape at its top. This makes the cinder cone distinguishable from the composite volcano, which has a pointed top.
  
  

Size

• Most cinder cones reach heights of less than 1,000 feet above other mountains or landforms that surround the volcano, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
  
  

Location

• Cinder cones typically develop to the side of other volcanoes, such as shield volcanoes or calderas, the USGS says.
  
  

Time Frame

• Unlike other types of volcanoes, cinder cones develop in a relatively short period of time, rather than over hundreds of years. For example, a vent in Paricutin, Mexico that began erupting in 1943 produced a cinder cone 1,200 feet high in only nine years, the USGS says.
  
  

Examples

• In addition to the volcano in Paricutin, other cinder cones include Cerro Negro in Nicaragua, Lava Butte in Oregon and Sunset Crater in Arizona.