To test whether a solution is ionic silver, you only need add chloride ions. Common table salt, which is sodium chloride, will do. If silver ions are present the chloride ions will combine with the silver ions and create a white, cloudy appearance. To form a cloud that is visible requires that a sufficient concentration of silver ions be present, typically about 10 ppm or above. Simply place 1-2 ounces of ionic silver in a clear glass. Add a few grains of table salt. Observe whether, as the salt dissolves, a white cloud of silver chloride forms in the solution. If so, eventually, the entire solution will turn cloudy. If more salt is added, the white silver chloride will become denser until all the silver ions have combined with the available chlorine ions. If no silver ions are present no white cloud will form.
Caution: Some products will not make a white cloud of silver chloride when table salt is added because they contain no silver at all, or very little silver. Analysis has shown that some 'silver' products actually contain no silver!
One of the major differences between silver ions and silver particles is that silver ions combine with chloride ions to form silver chloride and silver particles do not.