Final answer:
Prokaryotes translate faster than eukaryotes due to co-transcriptional translation, where transcription and translation occur simultaneously in the cytoplasm. Eukaryotic cells must first transcribe RNA in the nucleus and then transport it to the cytoplasm for translation, requiring more time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Prokaryotes are faster to translate than eukaryotes. In prokaryotes, the processes of transcription and translation can occur simultaneously because they both take place in the cytoplasm. This is known as co-transcriptional translation. On the other hand, in eukaryotes, transcription occurs in the nucleus while translation occurs in the cytoplasm. Moreover, eukaryotic mRNA must undergo processing before being translated, which also adds time. As a result, the separation of these processes and the additional RNA processing steps mean that eukaryotes have a slower overall rate of translation compared to prokaryotes.
Prokaryotes have further advantages in replication speed as they are noted to replicate nucleotides ten times faster than eukaryotes due to a simpler replication machinery with fewer polymerases and origins of replication. Conversely, eukaryotes have more complex replication mechanisms, requiring many more polymerases and having a single origin of replication.