Final answer:
A ribosome performs the process of translation, which involves reading the codons on mRNA and assembling amino acids into a polypeptide chain.
Step-by-step explanation:
A ribosome performs the process of translation. Translation is the process in which the ribosome uses the information in messenger RNA (mRNA) to synthesize a specific protein. It does this by reading the codons on the mRNA and matching them with the corresponding amino acids. The ribosome is responsible for assembling the amino acids in the correct order to form a polypeptide chain, which ultimately folds into a functional protein.