One group of the higher alkanes are waxes, solids at standard ambient temperature and pressure (SATP), for which the number of carbon atoms in the carbon backbone is greater than about 17.
wˈʌn ɡɹˈuːp ʌvðə hˈaɪɚɹ ˈælkeɪnz ɑːɹ wˈæksᵻz, sˈɑːlɪdz æt stˈændɚd ˈæmbiənt tˈɛmpɹɪtʃɚ ænd pɹˈɛʃɚ sˈætp, fɔːɹ wˌɪtʃ ðə nˈʌmbɚɹ ʌv kˈɑːɹbən ˈæɾəmz ɪnðə kˈɑːɹbən bˈækboʊn ɪz ɡɹˈeɪɾɚ ðɐn ɐbˌaʊt sˈɛvəntˌiːn.