Final answer:
Antibiotics that hinder the function of prokaryotic ribosomes directly alter the process of translation, which is the synthesis of proteins using genetic information from mRNA.
Step-by-step explanation:
Antibiotics that hinder the function of prokaryotic ribosomes directly alter the process of translation. Translation is the process by which the genetic information in mRNA is used to synthesize proteins. By blocking the ribosome's ability to read the mRNA and assemble amino acids into a protein chain, antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis in bacteria. This disruption of translation is how antibiotics target and kill bacteria.