OCR General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Biology Practice Exam

What is defined as the process when a seed begins to grow into a plant?

1. Photosynthesis

2. Seed germination

3. Stem elongation

4. Fertilization

The correct answer is: Seed germination

The process when a seed begins to grow into a plant is known as seed germination. This involves several crucial steps. Initially, the seed absorbs water, which activates enzymes and starts metabolic processes that are essential for growth. As conditions remain favorable—such as the right temperature, moisture level, and oxygen availability—the seed's embryo begins to develop into a seedling. During germination, the seed coat splits, allowing the root (or radicle) to emerge first, followed by the shoot (or hypocotyl). This process marks the transition from the dormant state of the seed to an actively growing plant, setting the foundation for further development into a mature plant. While photosynthesis, stem elongation, and fertilization are important biological processes, they occur at different stages of a plant's life cycle or relate to different functions in plant development. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy, stem elongation refers to the growth of the plant stem after germination, and fertilization is the union of male and female gametes leading to the formation of seeds, but does not describe the growth of the seed itself.