Spooky pumpkin science

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Chunks of pumpkin fly as Nadia Despenza crafts a jack-o-lantern the scientific way, by forming a flammable gas inside the partially carved pumpkin. 

Students at Our Lady of Malibu School were treated to a science experiment on Halloween when teacher Nadia Despenza created acetylene, a flammable gas, inside a partially carved pumpkin, sending chunks of pumpkin flying to create a smiling jack-o-lantern. 

Keeping safety in mind, Renee Lannutti stood by with the fire extinguisher. 

Despenza is a graduate of Pepperdine University and has been transforming science education at OLM with hands-on experiments, such as the exploding pumpkin. 

Through these experiments, students learn about chemical reactions and how energy can be released from chemicals.