# Li-ion Batteries, floppy disks, and airport security X-ray **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 2, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/li-ion-batteries-floppy-disks-and-airport-security-x-ray/257916 "2004-08-02T03:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/li-ion-batteries-floppy-disks-and-airport-security-x-ray/257916/1 "2004-08-02T03:05:57Z")
Will airport security X-ray harm my Sony Mavica digital camera, its Lithium Ion batteries and the floppy disks it uses for picture storage? I’m thinking no, but I’ve read rumors on the net that it could harm the batteries? Is this conceivable? Will the metal detector wipe the floppies? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/li-ion-batteries-floppy-disks-and-airport-security-x-ray/257916/2 "2004-08-02T03:08:55Z")
The floppies should be unaffected. Roll film can be damaged, though. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/li-ion-batteries-floppy-disks-and-airport-security-x-ray/257916/3 "2004-08-02T03:14:49Z")
The batteries should also be safe. I’ve yet to hear of a case of any type of battery being affected by airport x-rays. The camera should be physically unaffected, though I suppose it’s conceivable than an x-ray photon might have enough energy to flip a bit in the memory here or there. At worst, that would only mean you’d need to reformat the memory card, though again, I’ve never heard of this happening, either.