Linked from
The 9 pages that link to Shear rate, each with the reason it gives.
ViscosityRelated: For a Newtonian fluid, viscosity is the ratio of shear stress to shear rate.
RheologyRelated: It is a standard measure of flow intensity in rheological experiments.
FlocculationRelated: It governs particle encounters while excessive shear can break fragile flocs.
HomogenizationRelated: Shear helps deform and break droplets as they pass through a homogenizer.
Food rheologyRelated: It provides the flow-rate variable used to characterize many food liquids.
Dynamic viscosityRelated: For a Newtonian fluid, viscosity is shear stress divided by this rate.
Power-law fluidRelated: It is the independent variable in the power-law stress relation.