Final answer:
a gorilla is more closely related to an orangutan than a human, as gorillas and orangutans share a more recent common ancestor compared to the one shared with humans.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most accurate statement about the relationships among gorillas, humans, and orangutans based on the provided information is that a gorilla is more closely related to an orangutan than it is to a human. Given the evidence from DNA and amino acid sequence similarities, it is understood that gorillas and orangutans have a more recent common ancestor compared to the ancestors they share with humans. Additionally, the biological family Hominidae includes four living genera: chimpanzees, gorillas, humans, and orangutans; and although all these species share a large portion of their DNA, studies have shown that chimpanzees are most closely related to humans.
Thus, the student's question is option 2: a gorilla is more closely related to an orangutan than a human. This is supported by genetic information showing high similarities in DNA among these species, with humans sharing more than 97% of their DNA with both chimpanzees and gorillas but with chimps being the closest relatives.