Final answer:
Breaking dormancy means a seed transitions from a dormant state to an active one, leading to germination. The correct answer is that the seed germinates, wherein it resumes growth and development once favorable conditions are met.
Step-by-step explanation:
Breaking dormancy in a seed refers to the process where a seed transitions from a dormant state to an active one, leading to germination. When a seed breaks dormancy, favorable conditions such as moisture, light, and sometimes temperature changes trigger the resumption of metabolic activity. This includes the zygote within the seed growing into an embryo and, ultimately, the seed developing into a seedling with its own energy source derived from the cotyledons or the endosperm.
Among the options presented for what it means for a seed to break dormancy, the seed germinates (1) is the correct answer. During germination, the embryo inside the seed resumes growth, leading up to the development of the plant's root and shoot systems and its emergence from the seed coat. Germination is essential for the propagation of the species and is carefully timed by nature to coincide with environmental conditions that support the growth of the seedling.