Can I say "unknown" instead of "mysterious" in this kind of context? If not, could you tell me the main differences between these words?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
Yes, you can! Although they are not synonyms and do have slightly different meanings, both of them express the idea of the "unknown" very clearly in this context. "Mysterious" is similar in meaning to "puzzling" or "strange" and is used to describe things or people that are difficult or impossible to understand or identify. Thus, the speaker has used here to express that the fluid cannot be identified. Meanwhile, "unknown" is more similar in meaning to "undisclosed," "unspecified," or "secret. Ex: It's unknown who did the graffiti on the school walls. Ex: There was a mysterious sound coming from the apartment next door.
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